Comments on: Just Say So: Disclosure, Transparency and Social Media http://www.3hatscommunications.com/blog/2009/10/09/disclosure-transparency-and-social-media/ 3 Hats Communications Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:25:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Davina K. Brewer http://www.3hatscommunications.com/blog/2009/10/09/disclosure-transparency-and-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Davina K. Brewer Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:22:53 +0000 http://www.3hatscommunications.com/blog/?p=622#comment-45 Gini- I know what you're saying. Over the years, I've read tons of reviews of new Macs and almost always they're prefaced with "while I only had a week to play with the tester iMac Apple sent..." A small disclosure, but makes me wonder. Like when I read a short review of a cruise itinerary, and wonder: how much was comped by the cruise line, subsidized by the magazine or paper, and/or written off as a "business" expense? Is it that the reporter is being paid salary/fees by the media outlet, where as the blogger is being "paid" via product comps or sponsored posts that are undisclosed that's bothering the FTC? It's naive and dangerous for the FTC to assume that consumers understand how it works with journalists but not bloggers, or to create separate classes in the age of social media and citizen journalists. I just vote for disclosure across the board. Thanks for your comment. Gini- I know what you’re saying. Over the years, I’ve read tons of reviews of new Macs and almost always they’re prefaced with “while I only had a week to play with the tester iMac Apple sent…” A small disclosure, but makes me wonder.

Like when I read a short review of a cruise itinerary, and wonder: how much was comped by the cruise line, subsidized by the magazine or paper, and/or written off as a “business” expense?

Is it that the reporter is being paid salary/fees by the media outlet, where as the blogger is being “paid” via product comps or sponsored posts that are undisclosed that’s bothering the FTC? It’s naive and dangerous for the FTC to assume that consumers understand how it works with journalists but not bloggers, or to create separate classes in the age of social media and citizen journalists.

I just vote for disclosure across the board. Thanks for your comment.

]]> By: Gini Dietrich http://www.3hatscommunications.com/blog/2009/10/09/disclosure-transparency-and-social-media/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Gini Dietrich Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:10:11 +0000 http://www.3hatscommunications.com/blog/?p=622#comment-44 Davina - I'm struggling with whether or not I agree with the FTC ruling. What I don't get is why the rules are different for bloggers than they are for consumers. You and I both know that, as PR pros, we send products to reporters ALL THE TIME for review. So why is it they don't have to say they received a product to review, free-of-charge? Yeah there are some media outlets who either won't let reporters accept the products or return (or donate) them after review. But there also are a lot of outlets who don't have these guidelines, yet the FTC doesn't require them to disclose they received a product to review. Why bloggers and not journalists? Davina – I’m struggling with whether or not I agree with the FTC ruling. What I don’t get is why the rules are different for bloggers than they are for consumers. You and I both know that, as PR pros, we send products to reporters ALL THE TIME for review. So why is it they don’t have to say they received a product to review, free-of-charge? Yeah there are some media outlets who either won’t let reporters accept the products or return (or donate) them after review. But there also are a lot of outlets who don’t have these guidelines, yet the FTC doesn’t require them to disclose they received a product to review. Why bloggers and not journalists?

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