Posted on 06/21/2009 12:56:20 PM PDT by pabianice
Savvy consumers often go online for independent consumer reviews of products and services, scouring through comments from everyday Joes and Janes to help them find a gem or shun a lemon.
What some fail to realize, though, is that such reviews can be tainted: Many bloggers have accepted perks such as free laptops, trips to Europe, $500 gift cards or even thousands of dollars for a 200-word post. Bloggers vary in how they disclose such freebies, if they do so at all.
The practice has grown to the degree that the Federal Trade Commission is paying attention. New guidelines, expected to be approved late this summer with possible modifications, would clarify that the agency can go after bloggers -- as well as the companies that compensate them -- for any false claims or failure to disclose conflicts of interest... The common practice of posting a graphical ad or a link to an online retailer -- and getting commissions for any sales from it -- would be enough to trigger oversight.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
Next he’ll be testing toothpaste to see if it meets it’s claims in commercials.
ping
Coupled with the mere fact that Barry cannot handle criticism.
We would be hard pressed to find ANYTHING this usurper DOESN’T want to control! Nothing will be left as privacy.
Do newspapers receive the same scrutiny? Methinks a 1st Amendment claim can be made by the 21st century press, claiming the same rights and freedoms of the current (and fading) 20th century press.
“Failure to disclose compensation and conflicts of interest.” Maybe our bureaucrats should start watching politicians rather than bloggers!
Update on Recovery Act Lobbying Rules: New Limits on Special Interest Influence
White House Blog
FRIDAY, MAY 29TH, 2009 AT 5:35 PM
Posted by Jesse Lee. Another update from Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform, in the spirit of transparency as always:
I am writing with an update on the President’s March 20, 2009 Memorandum on Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds. Section 3 of the Memorandum required all oral communications between federally registered lobbyists and government officials concerning Recovery Act policy to be disclosed on the Internet; barred registered lobbyists from having oral communications with government officials about specific Recovery Act projects or applications and instead required those communications to be in writing; and also required those written communications to be posted on the Internet.
That Memorandum instructed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review the initial 60 days of implementation of the stimulus lobbying restrictions, to evaluate the data, and to recommend modifications.
Following OMB’s review, the Administration has decided to make a number of changes to the rules that we think make them even tougher on special interests and more focused on merits-based decision making.
First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists. For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.
Second, we will focus the restriction on oral communications to target the scenario where concerns about merit-based decision-making are greatest –after competitive grant applications are submitted and before awards are made. Once such applications are on file, the competition should be strictly on the merits. To that end, comments (unless initiated by an agency official) must be in writing and will be posted on the Internet for every American to see.
Third, we will continue to require immediate internet disclosure of all other communications with registered lobbyists. If registered lobbyists have conversations or meetings before an application is filed, a form must be completed and posted to each agency’s website documenting the contact.
OMB will be consulting with agencies, outside experts and others about these principles and will publish detailed guidance, but we wanted to update interested parties on the outcome of the initial review. We consulted very broadly both within and outside of government (including as reflected in previous posts on the White House blog) and we are grateful to all those who participated in the process.
WEB SITE http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Update-on-Recovery-Act-Lobbying-Rules-New-Limits-on-Special-Interest-Influence/
Now read this WH policy statement released late afternoon, so we would not notice our free speech is being chilled.
Ping to article and #8.
Will we soon have a gubmint employee who comes by each morning and ties my shoes?????
This is no different than the way IT vendors write for wiki in such a way as to favor their product and not that of their competitor.As
Fact. There is a problem.
Question. Even if it were constitutional, could the Feds solve this problem?
Answer. No!
The only solution to the problem is a cultural shift to skeptism where we don’t trust something .... because we saw it on the internet. But that would mean a cultural skeptism toward Yahoo news, google news and similar outlets that are needed to present the proper perspective on the news.
“...Maybe our bureaucrats should start watching politicians...”
You mean like inspector generals? HahahahA
We do not represent a company or consortium with a specific agenda. So FUBO!
Planning on going into a nursing home and having medicade pay?
Nice work Lucy-——news of Obama’s outrageous chilling of our free speech must be circulated far and wide.
Oh... like the MSM ?
So who’s he going to appoint as the new ‘blogger czar’?
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