ergophobe - 4:07 pm on Apr 6, 2009 (gmt 0)

jexx - I think laws could be written in a way that allow you to say anything you want, within very broad limits, provided basic disclosure.

For example, you could just require that reviewers of products state that they have rec'd a free review copy, have been paid to write a review or are getting a commission on sales.

It raises the question, though, of why the FTC doesn't stipulate that when I walk into Home Depot to buy appliances (one of the few departments where salespeople are on commission), the salesman is not required to walk up and say: "Hi, I'm Bob. I'll be your salesperson today and I'm on commission."

Or when I go to a car dealership, why isn't the salesman required to say "Hi, I'll be telling you how great this car is, but really it just has a great incentive program this month."

Okay, now I'm getting cynical. I think a couple of simple rules would get rid of a lot of the "badness"

1. Disclosure of payment to write a review, just as magazines mark "Advertorials" and are required to use a different font when content would otherwise look like reporting.

2. Clear disclosure on your "free trial" order form of any continuity payments and when they will get billed, including an "I understand..." type of checkbox and couple this with mandatory 24-hour available disenrollment process (could simply be an email address that stops any charges within 24 hours or rolls them back).

#2 would get rid of the Acai Berry, Federal Grant, Colon Cleanse scams overnight.

#1 would get rid of paid shills writing advertorials dressed as genuine reporting.

And then let buyers figure out that those stupid review websites are 99% commission sales-driven, just like the pushy car salesman who is *never* going to tell you that the car in front of you is the best they have, but the dealer down the street has two models that are better suited to you.