FTC Disclosure Guidelines

[briluki]

With the new guidelines at last being made sensible (The FTC’s Revised Endorsement Guides: What People are Asking) has anyone got or willing to write a Wordpress Plugin that will allow you to automatically add a disclosure to a post without all the repetitive copy and paste. Just something simple that allows you to write your own disclosure and will then add it for you when you publish.
Sound like a good idea someone??

[Anthony Buchalka]

Hi Briluki,

With the new guidelines at last being made sensible (The FTC’s Revised Endorsement Guides: What People are Asking) has anyone got or willing to write a Wordpress Plugin that will allow you to automatically add a disclosure to a post without all the repetitive copy and paste. Just something simple that allows you to write your own disclosure and will then add it for you when you publish.
Sound like a good idea someone??

Are you talking about disclosure about affiliate commissions or use of testimonials etc?

Both of which are important.

So are you thinking about a plugin that would allow your choice of several disclosures to be added to individual pages?

Most pages would probably not need it as most blog pages are generally more aimed at content pointing to money pages..

What do others think?

Anything that saves time is good

[briluki]

I'm looking more at affiliate marketing and having to comply with the following from FTC ...

"Let’s assume that you’re endorsing a product or service on your site and you have links to a company that pays you commissions on sales. If you disclose the relationship clearly and conspicuously on your site, readers can decide how much weight to give your endorsement. In some instances, where the link is embedded in the product review, a single disclosure may be adequate. When the product review has a clear and conspicuous disclosure of your relationship – and the reader can see both the product review and the link at the same time – readers have the information they need. If the product review and the link are separated, the reader may lose the connection. As for where to place a disclosure, the guiding principle is that it has to be clear and conspicuous. Putting disclosures in obscure places – for example, buried on an ABOUT US or GENERAL INFO page, behind a poorly labeled hyperlink or in a terms of service agreement – isn’t good enough. The average person who visits your site must be able to notice your disclosure, read it and understand it."

Looks like we have to treat all readers as dumbos and add a prominent disclosure for every item we mention ... a plugin would stop the "Oops! I forgot the disclosure"

[Tim Buchalka]

A plugin would be a great idea

I think there is no need to go overboard, but it should be made clear that you receive a commission on the page.

Regards


Tim

[honeyhill]

I'm looking more at affiliate marketing and having to comply with the following from FTC ...

"Let’s assume that you’re endorsing a product or service on your site and you have links to a company that pays you commissions on sales. If you disclose the relationship clearly and conspicuously on your site, readers can decide how much weight to give your endorsement. In some instances, where the link is embedded in the product review, a single disclosure may be adequate. When the product review has a clear and conspicuous disclosure of your relationship – and the reader can see both the product review and the link at the same time – readers have the information they need. If the product review and the link are separated, the reader may lose the connection. As for where to place a disclosure, the guiding principle is that it has to be clear and conspicuous. Putting disclosures in obscure places – for example, buried on an ABOUT US or GENERAL INFO page, behind a poorly labeled hyperlink or in a terms of service agreement – isn’t good enough. The average person who visits your site must be able to notice your disclosure, read it and understand it."

Looks like we have to treat all readers as dumbos and add a prominent disclosure for every item we mention ... a plugin would stop the "Oops! I forgot the disclosure"

I agree totally. The FTC want to protect the public from cheaters and paid bloggers and that's fine but they don't seem to understand the difference between a review and an endorsement.

This makes me feel like I'm a crook just because I make an honest review or give an opinion.
Ugh!!

It also seems confused. On the one hand they want you simply to openly declare your affiliate relationship - fine, but it seems in other places to require such a declaration right next to each affiliate link - in every blog post, email or sales page.

It seems to be way out of scale.

BTW if you want a plugin to do this, you could always put a simple disclosure in the Signature plugin
Add Signature Plugin for WordPress

Also try these links for extra info how some A list bloggers do their disclosure...

http://www.davesoucy.com/davesoucy-com-linking-policy/

http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/d...t+The+Wheel%29


All The Best

Alex

[briluki]

Thanks for the Signature Plugin link. Haven't seen that one so will give it a try and see how it looks.
Briluki.