- Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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Don't buy the house, buy the neighbourhood - Russian proverb
US to regulate bloggers
THE US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has decided that it will have a go at regulating bloggers.
In an attempt to ensure honesty in the trade, the FTC wants to require writers on the web to disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products.
Under the move if a blogger says a product is great, and fails to mention they were allowed to keep it, they could be fined $11,000.
Bloggers or advertisers also could face injunctions and be ordered to reimburse consumers for financial losses stemming from inappropriate product reviews.
The FTC wants to end the practice of manufacturers paying reviewers for their write-ups or giving them free products such as toys or computers or trips to Disneyland.
However it is based on the somewhat strange belief that "traditional journalism" is above reproach and always return products borrowed for reviews. Apparently they are not bribed to attend events by companies either.
In fact what is dubbed "low level corruption" is fairly endemic among technology magazines where free stuff appears at a hack's request or blagging as it is known in the trade.
This method of bribing the writer will not be covered by the rules. A writer who gets a free bit of software as part of a promotion wouldn't violate FTC guidelines if he writes about the product on his blog.
However if they were given the same software to review and were paid or rewarded with something else then they could be facing a fine. µ
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that the inq is jealous of the free swag they seem to be not getting these days :P
It is about time someone looked into this problem. It is so easy for a site to manipulate the results and can pretty much show you what they want you to think. I hope they also hold the manufactures responable aswell because they are also in controle of how their products are reviewed. Nvidia and Intel are the worst for this but that is just my opinion formed from years of observation.
"Doocy!, Doocy!, Doocy!"
Closed-door meetings are closed-door meetings. It's the frugging compatibility gap, stupid.
I’d like a second stimulus, a third, and so on and so fourth, without any more dancing Delay. Who clearly have a bug up their you know what? Where's the slappy dosh?
No, I'm not going rogue commando.
I am shocked and amazed that anyone would believe anything they read on a blog anyway.
The mind bloggles.
Should You Put In: Bribe Was Offered & You Recieved Permissions, Yet Failed to Print Coupon Out Due to LACK Of ANY Workable Printer. In Fact You OWN Serioualy MORE Boken Printers than Computer-s & think FREE IS GangLand Paradise, Far Off W/O Printed Invite,They Could Tort You For Lack OF Explanations.... these Days; Just to Qualify, Its FULL Accessory World.
BTW; Commentos' Are Edited & Previewed By Qualfied Heroine Addicts`
drashek
What about doctors? They get tons of free stuff, plus free trips to conferences etc from drug companies to promote certain drugs. Not to mention "under the table" bonuses depending on the amount of prescriptions.