An excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in the United States.
From The Associated Press
On advertising and the blogosphere on the net:
The Federal Trade Commission has updated its guidelines for advertisers, making clear that the 95-year-old federal law against deceptive and unfair practices also applies to the brave new world of blogs and social networks. The commission would be right to treat the Internet the same as any other communications medium -- there should be no safe harbor for false claims about weight-loss products or multilevel marketing schemes. ...
The new guidelines focus on endorsements and testimonials by celebrities and consumers. The changes, which take effect Dec. 1, include a welcome effort to close a loophole that allowed grossly misleading claims as long as they were accompanied by the fine-print disclaimer, "Results not typical." ...
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The Web and social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter have elevated individuals' influence and transformed word-of-mouth into a global force. ...
There's also a practical problem. E-commerce sites and social networks are generating an overwhelming amount of information about products and services, only some of which is genuine. Yet the best thing about the Internet is that the masses do a remarkable job of calling out fakery and unethical behavior. ... As it tries to crack down on deceptive practices online, the FTC should take care not to cut off that flow of information.
-- The Los Angeles Times
