Blogger, can you spare $11 000?
2009-10-09 08:33
"US Federal Trade Commission to Fine Bloggers $11 000" screamed the headlines gleefully from traditional media this week. "FTC - F**k You and Your Mother" came the predictable response from the blogosphere.
What the storm in this particular teacup obscures is the publication on October 5 of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) new guidelines on endorsements and testimonials. They've widened the rules for the first time since 1980 to include things like celebrity endorsements, comments on talk shows and, yes, reviews on blogs.
It's not as though the FTC are going to be rushing around fining bloggers who give, say, the new James Blunt album positive reviews (even though that may be a crime against culture) - all you need to do is disclose that you got a freebie (or some cash) to write about the product or service and you're good to go.
But there's no way the blogosphere was going to give up this chance to make a fuss - it's the sort of David and Goliath stuff that's great for attracting readers (not to mention an opportunity to have a good whinge).
And perhaps they have a point. Isn't R80 000 a bit steep for amateur navel gazers and cat fanciers?
But that's just the thing - in the US blogs came of age long ago, and some of them wield more influence than increasingly anaemic daily newspapers. Luckily there aren't any fines for being pompous or boring, or half of those papers would be slapped with fines weekly.
In fact many people don't realise, or even care, that they are reading a blog. If it's well-written and well-designed, they are likely to take it as (or even more) seriously than a major media brand ("They're independent - they must be honest").
And there's an even thornier issue lurking here - what's the definition of a blog? The Huffington Post started out as a political blog, but now it's a fully-fledged online newspaper that employs over 100 people. Exactly when did it stop being a blog and become a newspaper? I'm glad I'm not the one making that call.
I think this is all just a ploy to boost the FTC's rankings in Google. They're tired of playing third fiddle to sexier agencies like Homeland Security and the Securities and Exchange Commission. I mean, how many movies have you seen which feature FTC agents? "Stay calm Ma'am -we're here to inspect your vehicle's warranty agreement."
Anyway, the FTC clarified their position and reassured ruffled bloggers that they wouldn't be dishing out daily spot fines, and that there would be plenty of warnings before they did. There was some mumbling about police states and big brother, but the blogosphere are already looking for their next hit of controversy.
The thing that most of them seem to have missed is that the FTC ruling gives their medium more credibility than it's ever had before. If a government agency has powers to fine you, you're a serious medium. Not bad for amateur navel gazers and cat fanciers.
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