FTC Endorsement Rules for Bloggers

Attention all bloggers...if you're posting endorsements, you need to be aware of new Federal Trade Commission regulations that require disclosure of payments from the subjects that you're reviewing. Non-disclosure may result in penalties up to $11,000 per violation according to the FTC.

"The revised guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement," the FTC said in a release. "Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service."

Here's an article recently published by the Washington Post - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/05/AR2009100503620.html