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FTC Wants to Regulate Blogs

by kfount
10 replies
I heard about this on another forum. What do you think about it and how will it affect Internet marketing?

The Associated Press: FTC plans to monitor blogs for claims, payments
#blogs #ftc #regulate
  • Profile picture of the author LeivaMatias
    Originally Posted by kfount View Post

    I heard about this on another forum. What do you think about it and how will it affect Internet marketing?

    The Associated Press: FTC plans to monitor blogs for claims, payments
    That information doesn't really make sense.

    I mean the second paragraph is talking about freebies etc.

    If you are a smart marketer, you set yourself offshores. You avoid tax problems, liability problems etc.

    Many CPA/affiliate advertisers are offshores, same with the CPA networks as well.

    The FTC has bigger problems to figure out, than "flogs" haha.
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  • Profile picture of the author rtrotter
    I was born in a country that believed in individual rights and respected the Bill of Rights. Seems that country is long gone.

    Rodney
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  • Profile picture of the author TheRichLife
    It's irrelevant.

    First of all, the FTC has no teeth. They can't even regulate the easy stuff. Secondly, they can't regulate off shore businesses. Third of all, they don't have the man power to do this.

    This is nothing other than political grandstanding. Ignore it.
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    • Profile picture of the author rtrotter
      Originally Posted by TheRichLife View Post

      It's irrelevant.

      First of all, the FTC has no teeth. They can't even regulate the easy stuff. Secondly, they can't regulate off shore businesses. Third of all, they don't have the man power to do this.

      This is nothing other than political grandstanding. Ignore it.
      Ask Frank Kern if the FTC has no teeth.

      It always happen like this. When it is being planned the assumption is made that "it doesn't effect me." Then in a few years there will be a lot of complaining. We get what we ask for, directly or indirectly.
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  • Profile picture of the author Guitarnut
    I thought this line from the article was a good one...

    As blogging rises in importance and sophistication, it has taken on characteristics of community journalism -- but without consensus on the types of ethical practices typically found in traditional media.

    Ethical practices typically found in traditional media??? Now THAT is a side splitter!
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  • Profile picture of the author FlashDriveDT
    What's the big deal? I only see a problem here for unethical, deceptive bloggers and marketers.
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    • Profile picture of the author jakesellers
      Unfortunately flogs, fake media portals, and other deceptive practices convert. It's nice the FTC is saying they're paying attention, but as with so many shady business practices the big floggers will move to offshore hosting and the offers they're promoting will do more to insulate their transactions and business entities from the FTC - as the shady fake watches and online Viagra folks have done. The FTC's already working in concert with Google, and it's just about impossible to get a flog or fake news site approved in Adwords (and "review sites" are getting scrutiny as well), which is nice as it levels the playing field for legitimate advertisers.
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      • Profile picture of the author bgmacaw
        Yes, you should immediately stop this entrepreneurial thieving activity called "Internet Marketing" and go to work for a large public unionized corporation or, better yet, work for the government. This is best option for you and for all of your fellow citizens, especially the children, don't you agree?
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        • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
          This is huge, but for a reason everyone has missed.

          The law already prohibits deceptive and false advertising. The proposed guidelines are apparently the result of much publicized problems with CPA offers and flogs that will bring more attention upon all affiliate websites.

          This is really a wake-up call - the FTC is letting merchants and affiliates know this is an issue they will be paying more attention to.

          Here is the huge issue - the FTC says it will try and hold merchants accountable for the actions of their affiliates.

          It means less work for the FTC. If they see a rogue website they go after the merchant without worrying about where the affiliate is located. You can bet the merchant will immediately cut-ties with an affiliate if the FTC merely breathes in their direction.

          Until now, by treating an affiliate as an independent contractor a merchant has legally been limited in how they dictate the specifics of affiliate advertising. In return, a merchant has a defense to liability since they cannot control the advertising.

          Establishing independent contractor liability is significant.

          Aside from quickly cutting-off affiliates if there is a hint of a problem, there is an issue of getting approved to be an affiliate in the first place. Liability brings exacting reviews. Potentially, bonding. It could be the end of quickly signing up with an affiliate program and sticking an affiliate link out there.

          Think about what is typically required to get a drop-shipping account: driver's license, business registration, state licensing, references, credit checks, etc.

          That is what this could easily lead to for affiliate programs.

          Does the FTC have teeth. Yeah. Big time. It's easy to be bold and brave on an anonymous forum. Not so easy when your assets have been frozen and you're trying to decide what to sell to pay for an attorney.

          Offshore? Guess what, not a solution. Rather, just a red flag. Take a perusal some day at all the offshore businesses the FTC has hauled into federal court and taken down.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Carl Kelly
    No biggie, IMO.
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