It depends on how the systems are set up. Most are operating in the gray area. A few cross the line into flagrant deceptive business practices and the FTC makes an example of them.

Like hidden continuity programs, just one more abuse of online marketing that raises red flags that invite the government to assert more regulatory control over the long term. A few bad apples with a get-rich-quick mentality spoil the whole online barrel.

Best wishes,

-Mike

This makes me wonder about the free ipod offers and so on that involve jumping through lots of hoops and signing up for some not-free offers to qualify. Would those fall under the same laws as this situation?

(Blogger now has backlinks - very similar to the trackback feature in Movable Type. Many blogs have stopped using trackbacks because…

FTC is cracking down on deceptive Internet marketing practices, including “free” gifts with strings attached and spam emails….