Bloggers risk $11000 fine
By Techgirl

It is now a given that blogs, Twitter and other social media play an invaluable role in the democratization of the world.  Some would say they do a better job than many traditional media like newspapers, radios and TV Stations.  But some blogs are guilty of the same shady business practices as some newspapers.

When Nokia India gives high end phones to journalists/leading bloggers to review, it rarely asks for them back.  If such ‘review products turned possible gifts’ had the potential to affect the old media journalists,  why will it not have the same compromising affect on new media like blogs?

While you will see many Indian blogs talking up everything from phones to Skin Care, there is no law in India which compels them to reveal any business association with the company.

Today, America’s Federal Trade Commission has announced its new rules for bloggers starting Dec 1, 2009.  Every American blogger will be forced to clearly tell his/her readers that they accepted a gift or have been paid to write a blog post reviewing a product or service.  The Federal Trade Commission has warned that any violation of these new social media rules may result in a fine of up to $11,000 for every blog post. Big business may also be forced to compensate anyone who bought something based on a positive blog post which did not have clear disclosure.

Many newspapers clearly carry disclosures like ‘This trip to Paris was paid by this airline and/or hotel’.  But the old media is generally guilty of this lack of disclosure as well.

What is needed are the same set of rules and regulations for both old and new media. That is what the public deserves. If our judges can declare their assets, why shouldn’t our bloggers tell us who is paying them?

(Techgoss had published the following story on July 21, 2009)

Mommy blogs may say no
By Techgirl

Many mothers and wives have a large say in the household budget.  When mothers first started blogging in USA, they built up a huge network and audience.  While the average Indian woman will still ask her mother and/or mother-in-law for advice, an American mother would include her network on the net as well.

While the first few years of mommy blogging were commerce free, it was just a question of time before the big business marketing machine moved in.  Mommy bloggers were offered cash and gifts to ‘recommend’ or just write about a product. 

In June, 2009, ABC News America had done a report saying there could be as many as 10 thousand mommy bloggers on the internet.  The ABC news report said: “Companies will pay anything from thirty bucks to hundreds of dollars for a favorable post by a mommy blogger. It's hard to pin down just how many bloggers are being paid -- certainly not everyone is. But Maria Bailey, who specializes in marketing to moms, says her research shows about 85 percent of mom bloggers are receiving checks or freebies.”

Once the marketing machine started working with mommy blogs, it was just a question of time before the US Government moved in to draw up some rules and regulations on mommy blogs.  The US Federal Trade Commission will announce rules saying that bloggers have to publicly declare details of any commercial relationship with big business.  

While the pendulum still swings in an attempt to find a balance, a prominent Mommy blog Momdot in USA is pushing for a Public Relations Blackout Challenge.

Momdot.com is asking American Mummy bloggers to boycott any commercial activity for a week.

“
Mom Bloggers are simply doing too much.

With the allure of giveaways, reviews, and blog trips, Mom Bloggers have turned from what they love the most, their family, into working directly as public relations for their captive audience. It boils down to knowing your worth and then standing up for it.

While we adore many of our fabulous PR reps and treat them like bloggy friends, our site, and many others, are inundated with hundreds, if not thousands, of product requests each year resulting in massive obligations and deadline stress equivalent to what the General Motors CEO must feel every time he drives into work. We watch our blog friends strive for the next big review or the next big giveaway, but all the while practically losing

MomDot is challenging bloggers to participate for one week in August in a PR BLACKOUT challenge where you do not blog ANY giveaways, ANY reviews, and Zero press releases. In fact, we don’t want you to talk to PR at ALL that whole week.  We want to see your blog naked, raw, and back to basics. Talk about your kids, your marriage, your college, your hopes, your dreams, your house and whatever you can come up with for one week.
“

I have checked with my girl friends in India and they tell me that our mommy blogs are still relatively free of advertisements and business equations.

Techgoss note:  Techgirl is a senior Tech journalist who reports on the IT, KPO and KPO Sectors for a leading media house.  In her spare time, she dabbles in satire in her blog
http://techgirltalk.blogspot.com