
Notice Those Ads on Blogs? Regulators Do, Too - robg
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/business/media/11adco.html?hpw
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wallflower
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.

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asmithmd1
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.

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billswift
"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.

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anamax
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.

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

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

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zargon
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
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.

