As you’ll recall, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is worried about bloggers who get compensated for their recommendations but don’t disclose the fact. There’s even talk about severe penalties to bloggers for not disclosing something as simple as an affiliate link.
If that’s such a crucial issue to the safety of the American populace, where is the FTC when it comes to cracking down on the TV networks, radio networks, and newspaper chains who report on the “Cash for Clunkers” program without disclosing the millions of dollars of advertising revenue they receive from car dealerships who are promoting the “Cash for Clunkers” program wildly? Media watchdogs note that the major TV networks routinely praise the “Cash for Clunkers” program without mentioning it’s downsides.
What’s the difference between a compensated blogger making $5000 and media conglomerates making untold millions? Lawyers and lobbyists – that’s all.
If bloggers should disclose even the remotest compensation, under this same logic, the Federal Trade Commission should immediately SHUT DOWN and impose crippling fines on every media outlet that has taken advertising revenue in any fashion from the auto industry and reported on the “Cash for Clunkers” program without disclosing this financial interest in the program.
It’s that simple.
No comments yet.