News - US bloggers must now disclose commercial ties

[HEXUS]

The FTC has ruled that bloggers must reveal material connections with companies whose products they endorse.

Read more.

[Perfectionist]

Hopefully forums will be next. Then maybe a bit of balls from the UK gov on internet issues for a change.

Death to astroturfing.

[Jennifer E-Victims]

"it's time to try to regulate this untamed wilderness"

Irregardless if you believe this is a good idea - it is an example of unenforceable piece of legislation. Despite what the USA would like to believe/wish the FTC doesn't regulate the Internet - it regulates companies in the USA that use the Internet.

Will it apply to US subsidiaries, what if the blog is hosted outside the USA, what about a US advertisers who is influencing bloggers abroad etc.

[Funkstar]

Irregardless...

irrespective or regardless, but not a mash up

[Jennifer E-Victims]

irrespective or regardless, but not a mash up

Of course you are right

"Irregardless is a term meaning in spite of or anyway, that has caused controversy since it first appeared in the early twentieth century. It is generally listed in dictionaries as "incorrect" or "nonstandard".

Warning: I also say ain't but only when I'm back home in Oklahoma.

[kalniel]

Now't wrong with ain't

[jim]

Now't wrong with ain't

I must disagree with your use of an apostrophe in "nowt", your grasp of English is opaulin.

[Saracen]

"it's time to try to regulate this untamed wilderness"

Irregardless if you believe this is a good idea - it is an example of unenforceable piece of legislation. Despite what the USA would like to believe/wish the FTC doesn't regulate the Internet - it regulates companies in the USA that use the Internet.

Will it apply to US subsidiaries, what if the blog is hosted outside the USA, what about a US advertisers who is influencing bloggers abroad etc.

I agree .... largely.

It's certainly true thst there's a huge gulf between legislators passing laws and them actually having much effect. For instance, software and IP piracy is still occurring on a huge scale despite increasingly draconian steps against it.

The other side of the coin is that governments pass laws that even foreign companies have to abide by ... if they wish to operate in that jurisdiction. For example, Microsoft might be a US (parent) company but they're held to UK companies legislation over their activities here.

The issue, as you say, is enforceability, and that is in large part a direct function of the resources and effort put in. There's a law in the UK against using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving (as we discussed the other day) but it doesn't stop a lot of people from doing it. What would stop (or at least reduce) it is a law and a very heavy police effort to enforce it, because only then is the probability of getting caught and penalised high enough to be a real deterrent. How much priority will go into enforcing connections between bloggers and corporates?

Also, of course, how will enforcement authorities know when the law's being broken? It might be illegal to have copies of pirate DVDs of Hollywood films, but the authorities stand no chance of getting warrants to search all pour living rooms, and without that, how are they going to find out?

And, if large amounts of money and resources were going to go into policing undesirable activities on the internet, I can think of a long list of better targets for that effort than commercial disclosure requirements. How about the authorities taking internet fraud, phishing, ID theft, cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying seriously for a start?

[Jennifer E-Victims]

And, if large amounts of money and resources were going to go into policing undesirable activities on the internet, I can think of a long list of better targets for that effort than commercial disclosure requirements. How about the authorities taking internet fraud, phishing, ID theft, cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying seriously for a start?

I couldn't agree more. And if there is large amount of money and resources going into e-crime issues... I sure wouldn't mind having some of it for our work!