Just the FAQs About FTC Endorsement Guides

The FTC has issued a very clear, informative“frequently asked questions” guide to its revised endorsement guidelines. If you’ve not checked these out, I really recommend that you do. It’s the best guidance I’ve seen on how to avoid trouble while blogging about products and services. Of course, I’m not too crazy about this Q and A:

Q: Do I have to hire a lawyer to help me write a disclosure?

A: No. What matters is effective communication, not legalese. A disclosure like “Company X sent me [name of product] to try, and I think it’s great” gives your readers the information they need. Or, at the start of a short video, you might say, “Some of the products I’m going to use in this video were sent to me by their manufacturers.” That gives the necessary heads-up to your viewers.

Not need a lawyer? Crazy talk!