payola

TLMC reports:

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)-- The FTC is taking a tougher line on bloggers who accept cash or gifts to tout a company's products or services.

Under revised rules announced Monday, the Federal Trade Commission's 'new ruling'will require bloggers and celebrities to clearly state when they receive cash or "payment in kind" for endorsing a company's products or services.

The changes, adopted on a 4-0 vote, are the first revisions to federal guidelines on endorsements and testimonial advertising since 1980 and the first to target bloggers.
Connections between advertisers and endorsers must be disclosed once the revised guidelines take effect on Dec. 1. The FTC said the stricter disclosure requirement will apply to comments on talk shows, blog posts and on social media as well as in traditional advertisements.

Advertisers and endorsers who fail to disclose material connections, or who make false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims may be subject to fines of $11,000 per violation. The FTC didn't set a specific dollar threshold; instead, it called for disclosure whenever a reward is large enough that it might affect the credibility of the endorsement itself.

If this law requires corrupt politicians (of any party) to reveal the sources of payola they get from lobbyists, including the cash value of the free propaganda they receive from the info-tainment industry, then I'm for it.

Otherwise it's a crock.