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Skip navigation. The brochure also addresses how those established consumer protection principles apply in social media and influencer marketing. Suppose you meet someone who tells you about a great new product. She tells you it performs wonderfully and offers fantastic new features that nobody else has. Would that recommendation factor into your decision to buy the product?
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Now suppose the person works for the company that sells the product — or has been paid by the company to tout the product. You bet.
The Guides, at their core, reflect the basic truth-in-advertising principle that endorsements must be honest and not misleading. The same is usually true if the endorser see more been paid or given something of value to tout the product. The reason is obvious: Knowing about the connection is important information for anyone evaluating the endorsement. The blogger should, therefore, let his readers know about that relationship. Another principle in the Guides applies to ads that feature endorsements from people who achieved exceptional, or even above average, results. An example is an endorser who says she lost 20 pounds in two months using the advertised product.
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Here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions from advertisers, ad agencies, bloggers, and others. Do the Endorsement Guides apply to social media? Truth in advertising is important in all media, whether they have been around for decades like television and magazines or are relatively new like blogs and social media. They simply recommend those products to their readers because they believe in them. Moreover, the financial arrangements between some bloggers and advertisers may be apparent to industry insiders, but not to everyone else who reads a particular blog.
Generally not, but if concerns about possible violations of the FTC Act come to our attention, we evaluate them case by case. If law enforcement becomes necessary, our focus usually will be on advertisers or their ad agencies and public relations firms. Action against have we been dating too long individual endorser, however, might be appropriate in certain circumstances, such as if the endorser has continued to dxting to make required disclosures despite warnings. Does the FTC hold bloggers to a higher datiny than reviewers for traditional media outlets?
The FTC Act applies across the board. On a personal blog, a social networking page, or in similar media, the reader might not realize that the reviewer has a relationship with the company whose products are being recommended. Disclosure of that relationship helps readers decide how much weight to give have we been dating too long review. The FTC conducts investigations and brings cases involving endorsements made on behalf of an advertiser under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which to prohibits deceptive advertising.
The Guides are intended to give insight into what the FTC thinks about various marketing activities involving endorsements and how Section 5 might apply to those activities. However, practices inconsistent with the Guides may result in law enforcement actions alleging violations of the FTC Act. Law enforcement actions can result in orders requiring the defendants in the case to give up money they received from their violations and to abide by various requirements in the future.
I heard that every time I mention a product on my blog, I have to say whether I got it for free or paid for it myself.
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Is that true? Nor is it an issue if you get the product for free because a store is giving out free samples to its customers.
The FTC is only concerned about endorsements that are made on behalf of a sponsoring advertiser. For example, an endorsement would be covered by the FTC Act if an advertiser — or someone working for an advertiser — pays you or gives you something of value to mention a product. Bloggers who are part of network marketing programs, where they sign up to receive free product samples in exchange for writing about them, also are covered. Does that still have to be disclosed? The question you need to ask is whether knowing about that gift or incentive would affect the weight or credibility your readers give to your recommendation.]
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