10 things you should know about bloggers and blogging
Blogging has become a hugely popular trend, thanks to its relevance to readers and its independence. But there are some inner workings of being a blogger that not everyone realizes. Here are some things I’ve learned during my tenure as a professional blogger.
1: New FTC regulations are important
In October 2009, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) declared that bloggers can be in scope for guidelines that govern endorsement and testimonials in advertising. These new rules take effect December 1, 2009, and require that bloggers disclose whether they receive any gifts or compensation in return for blogging about a product. Virtual Private Counsel Priya Marwah Doornbos of PMDLegal.com helped me interpret these new regulations as they pertain to blogging.
It turns out to be quite simple: The FTC is responding to the growth of social media, such as blogs. The new regulations provide specific guidelines for what types of blogs are considered endorsements. This is important because if they are considered endorsements, they may be subject to advertising laws. The goal is to protect consumers from advertising that is false, misleading, or deceptive. More than anything, bloggers are called to walk the line in what they write. In the spirit of these regulations, I’ll disclose the following:
Disclosure — PMDLegal provided me with a free interpretation of the new FTC regulations for my blogging activity.
Complete articles : blogs.techrepublic.com.com
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