Comments on: FTC to Require Bloggers to Disclose Freebies and Payments http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/10/06/ftc-to-require-bloggers-to-disclose-freebies-and-payments/ Writings about more than just Macs, by Kirk McElhearn Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:04:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gene Steinberg http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/10/06/ftc-to-require-bloggers-to-disclose-freebies-and-payments/#comment-1208 Gene Steinberg Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:08:30 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/?p=769#comment-1208 Kirk, probably as the result of having reviewed product for those big publications, I do get occasional Apple hardware, and most of the software products that I request. Apple hardware normally is provided on a loan basis for two to four weeks. They monitor this strictly, and if the reviewer doesn't return the product, chances of getting more stuff are little to none. Since the FTC edict came about, I've posted an item in our site's About box about this, so people understand how things work. Peace, Gene Kirk, probably as the result of having reviewed product for those big publications, I do get occasional Apple hardware, and most of the software products that I request.

Apple hardware normally is provided on a loan basis for two to four weeks. They monitor this strictly, and if the reviewer doesn’t return the product, chances of getting more stuff are little to none.

Since the FTC edict came about, I’ve posted an item in our site’s About box about this, so people understand how things work.

Peace,
Gene

]]> By: kirk http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/10/06/ftc-to-require-bloggers-to-disclose-freebies-and-payments/#comment-1148 kirk Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:20:55 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/?p=769#comment-1148 Yes, I'd be more wary for things that are more expensive. Note that, no matter how much I write about Apple products - Macs and iPods - I've never gotten anything free from them. This is true for Apple in general; even the big sites only get loaners (though they do get software free for review). Yes, I’d be more wary for things that are more expensive.

Note that, no matter how much I write about Apple products – Macs and iPods – I’ve never gotten anything free from them. This is true for Apple in general; even the big sites only get loaners (though they do get software free for review).

]]> By: Aaron Meurer http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/10/06/ftc-to-require-bloggers-to-disclose-freebies-and-payments/#comment-1147 Aaron Meurer Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:50:37 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/?p=769#comment-1147 Well, I must admit that I was surprised to learn that you as a blogger received free items, though it isn't surprising that bloggers do receive them in these times, now that I think about it. By the way, as far as the FCC rules go, I don't really care. It certainly doesn't change my perception of your reviews knowing this, especially considering I already knew how to take a critical view of things anyway (if you can't do this, no kind of disclosure is going to change that). I did know about this, but as far as the general population goes, I suppose that the more reviews a person reads on any medium, the more likely he is to know this. If someone only rarely reads reviews of things, then they may not be aware (and as I mentioned, probably never even considered) that these things are provided for free. Does it change how the review should be perceived? I don't think so, at least not for a book. If it is something more expensive, like a car or something, it might be different. Well, I must admit that I was surprised to learn that you as a blogger received free items, though it isn’t surprising that bloggers do receive them in these times, now that I think about it. By the way, as far as the FCC rules go, I don’t really care. It certainly doesn’t change my perception of your reviews knowing this, especially considering I already knew how to take a critical view of things anyway (if you can’t do this, no kind of disclosure is going to change that).

I did know about this, but as far as the general population goes, I suppose that the more reviews a person reads on any medium, the more likely he is to know this. If someone only rarely reads reviews of things, then they may not be aware (and as I mentioned, probably never even considered) that these things are provided for free. Does it change how the review should be perceived? I don’t think so, at least not for a book. If it is something more expensive, like a car or something, it might be different.

]]> By: kirk http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/10/06/ftc-to-require-bloggers-to-disclose-freebies-and-payments/#comment-1145 kirk Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:10:27 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/?p=769#comment-1145 Do you really not know that book reviews in the media come from review copies of books? Or music reviews are made after review copies are sent out? Or are you just surprised that "blogs" can get review copies, like newspapers and magazines? Do you really not know that book reviews in the media come from review copies of books? Or music reviews are made after review copies are sent out? Or are you just surprised that “blogs” can get review copies, like newspapers and magazines?

]]> By: Aaron Meurer http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/10/06/ftc-to-require-bloggers-to-disclose-freebies-and-payments/#comment-1144 Aaron Meurer Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:07:29 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/?p=769#comment-1144 "Pretty much everyone knows that, for example, review copies of books are sent out to any media outlet that asks for them." I wouldn't assume this. It may be well known among bloggers, but it is not necessarily well known among readers of blogs. I think most people never even consider such things, and many would be surprised to learn that review products sent to the reviewers free of charge (especially on a blog like this, where it is not always clear if you are reviewing a book for a publisher or if you are just doing it as part of the hobby of your blog). You touch on a good issue here. I think quite a few (if not most) FCC rules are useless like you say. They seem to assume that the public consists of mind-numbed drones that will believe anything that is told to them and therefore need to be saved from so-called "unfair" practices. And in the end, all the rules end up doing is infringing on the free speech rights of the publishers of the media, and they create a special class of media that are exempt from the rules for whatever reason (usually things like you that are on the internet). “Pretty much everyone knows that, for example, review copies of books are sent out to any media outlet that asks for them.” I wouldn’t assume this. It may be well known among bloggers, but it is not necessarily well known among readers of blogs. I think most people never even consider such things, and many would be surprised to learn that review products sent to the reviewers free of charge (especially on a blog like this, where it is not always clear if you are reviewing a book for a publisher or if you are just doing it as part of the hobby of your blog).

You touch on a good issue here. I think quite a few (if not most) FCC rules are useless like you say. They seem to assume that the public consists of mind-numbed drones that will believe anything that is told to them and therefore need to be saved from so-called “unfair” practices. And in the end, all the rules end up doing is infringing on the free speech rights of the publishers of the media, and they create a special class of media that are exempt from the rules for whatever reason (usually things like you that are on the internet).

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