4 ms·

Notice Those Ads on Blogs? Regulators Do, Too

15 points by robg 17y ago

pmichaud 17y ago
I wonder if this applies to blogs that talk about products and link to those products using affiliate links?
vijayr 17y ago
They should also take a look at self styled 'experts' who write ebooks on topics like weight loss etc, with no formal qualification.
- likpok 17y ago
  If they did that, they'd have to look at self-styled 'expers' who write books on topics like weight loss etc, with no formal qualification. And there are a lot of those.
- zargon 17y ago
  How about people learn critical thinking and filter out the quacks for themselves? I don't care to pay for nanny-state regulation, or have content censored because some source doesn't have a "formal qualification." They will always be playing "catch-up" to the latest scams anyway, as this article demonstrates.
  - omouse 17y ago
    You already pay for "nanny"-state regulation and those quacks are most likely violating consumer protection laws, the very same laws that protect you from other much larger corporations that have the money+lawyers to screw people easily.
- olefoo 17y ago
  The cure may be worse than the disease. Think about the hilarity that would ensue if you applied that same heuristic to self-styled 'experts' on the topic of server-scalability or web-application security.
wallflower 17y ago
I was in a small coffee shop attached to a train station the other day and I made a comment about the sound system which was playing the radio. How if she listened to it all day - why not get a better system. And the owner, matter-of-factly, told me its better if the sound system is lackluster and unremarkable - otherwise they (the recording/music industry) can go after you for performance fees.
- asmithmd1 17y ago
  This is a big deal - and there are three protection rackets, er, performance rights licensors you have to pay: ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. You also have to pay them if you have a karaoke night or if you have some guy beating "Stairway to Heaven out of an old guitar.
billswift 17y ago
"These self-regulatory programs are voluntary, but if companies refuse to participate or comply, the programs can refer complaints to the F.T.C. And the F.T.C. can sue those it sees as violating guidelines." More Orwellian redefinitions - now "voluntary" means do it or else. Just like "Voluntary service" requirements for high school graduation.
deleted 17y ago
[deleted]
anamax 17y ago
I note that regulators still haven't noticed that a significant fraction of "journalists" sleep with govt officials, politicians, lobbyists, campaign officials, and the like. And those folks often switch groups. Of course regulators are going after bloggers. They need to do something to keep their phony-baloney jobs and they sure can't go after conflicts of interest that actually matter.

15 points by robg 17y ago

I wonder if this applies to blogs that talk about products and link to those products using affiliate links?

They should also take a look at self styled 'experts' who write ebooks on topics like weight loss etc, with no formal qualification.

likpok 17y ago
If they did that, they'd have to look at self-styled 'expers' who write books on topics like weight loss etc, with no formal qualification. And there are a lot of those.
zargon 17y ago
How about people learn critical thinking and filter out the quacks for themselves? I don't care to pay for nanny-state regulation, or have content censored because some source doesn't have a "formal qualification." They will always be playing "catch-up" to the latest scams anyway, as this article demonstrates.
- omouse 17y ago
  You already pay for "nanny"-state regulation and those quacks are most likely violating consumer protection laws, the very same laws that protect you from other much larger corporations that have the money+lawyers to screw people easily.
olefoo 17y ago
The cure may be worse than the disease. Think about the hilarity that would ensue if you applied that same heuristic to self-styled 'experts' on the topic of server-scalability or web-application security.

wallflower 17y ago

I was in a small coffee shop attached to a train station the other day and I made a comment about the sound system which was playing the radio. How if she listened to it all day - why not get a better system. And the owner, matter-of-factly, told me its better if the sound system is lackluster and unremarkable - otherwise they (the recording/music industry) can go after you for performance fees.

asmithmd1 17y ago
This is a big deal - and there are three protection rackets, er, performance rights licensors you have to pay: ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. You also have to pay them if you have a karaoke night or if you have some guy beating "Stairway to Heaven out of an old guitar.

billswift 17y ago

"These self-regulatory programs are voluntary, but if companies refuse to participate or comply, the programs can refer complaints to the F.T.C. And the F.T.C. can sue those it sees as violating guidelines." More Orwellian redefinitions - now "voluntary" means do it or else. Just like "Voluntary service" requirements for high school graduation.

deleted 17y ago

[deleted]

anamax 17y ago

I note that regulators still haven't noticed that a significant fraction of "journalists" sleep with govt officials, politicians, lobbyists, campaign officials, and the like. And those folks often switch groups. Of course regulators are going after bloggers. They need to do something to keep their phony-baloney jobs and they sure can't go after conflicts of interest that actually matter.