The funny thing is people like us were already doing the right thing. We don’t push every program that hits our inbox for a quick dollar just to find another program ‘to swear by’ tomorrow.

I know one thing, my inbox has thinned a lot but not because marketers are sending less, I started an unsubscribing crusade. I unsubscribe to every email that I want to delete before opening. I’m left with very little email – just the way I want it.
.-= Brian D. Hawkins´s last blog ..The Keyword Academy – My Highest Recommendation =-.

The sites I see being pounded out for this is “Online Internet Attorney”. Funny thing is many of them have testimonials. They have also set up affiliate plans & every dog in the park is posting links to their buy “legal docs”.

I also looked at some of those pushing the legal docs sales sites & the affiliates don’t have a disclaimer in site. So, are they just waiting to post theirs or are they just trying to make a fast buck?

Things that make ya go Hmmmm?
.-= Sheryl @Marketers Guild´s last blog ..Google Adwords is Making Changes =-.

Here’s the scary part that should have a ton of Bloggers and email marketers looking hard at their procedures, “In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor.” That’s taken from the FTC press release on the matter.

I agree with you 100%, any time we get big brother involved we end up with a wedgie. Sorry, it’s two in the morning and I should be in bed

This quote it about as well said as I’ve seen, “Government agencies like the FTC do not exist to protect the public, though that is what they say. Agencies like this actually exist to raise the cost of doing business”.
.-= Brian D. Hawkins´s last blog ..News Related AdSense Site – First Month = One Hundred Dollars =-.

Government agencies like the FTC do not exist to protect the public, though that is what they say. Agencies like this actually exist to raise the cost of doing business. This whole FTC flap will really serve to discourage many people from entering the market. This is another chapter of the Full Employment For Attorneys Act. Remember who writes the law (is the percentage 90% of CONgress that are attorneys now?) and remember that they usually write so it is difficult to really understand for the average person.

“Internet attorneys” are popping up now, offering software that will write your disclosures for you. These are being promoted by, you guessed it, affiliates who are now earning commissions here, too.

My main income is Adsense (poor me!) Will I be required to post a disclaimer next to each ad? Will the answer to that question depend on how the agent’s wife cooked supper the night before? Or whether he/she is trying to quit smoking? Or whether his boss hates him? Discretion in these kinds of matters is not a good thing and that is exactly what “case by case” means.

Bottom line: I do not trust FTC or its agents to be completely fair or to act completely within the letter of the law.

Although having the FTC come after a dog would be funny…the fine would still make it’s way back to ME!

We do NOT hide our affiliate links. If anyone puts the curser over the Anchor Text they see the raw link is going off site & has a number associated.

Guess to many people may not understand how URL’s are designed.

After watching this topic, I think the FTC will stay out of most bloggers way unless the blogger gets complaints (that are valid). They also seem more worried about Testimonials than anything.

Maybe I could start a new service writing ‘bad’ testimonials. That way a person could look more valid if they had a ‘not to damaging’ complaint along side of their Rave Reviews.
.-= Sheryl @Dogs Accessories´s last blog ..Printable Dog Stencils For Pumpkins =-.