Like the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the UK’s Office of Fair Trading is taking the stance now that you should disclose you’re being compensated (as an affiliate, celebrity, or otherwise) when promoting goods and services online. As an Internet attorney, it isn’t surprising to see government agencies adopt this view.
The goal is to make sure the readers of what you write understand you may be biased because bucks (or euros) are involved. We’re talking about being honest instead of deceiving someone to earn some extra dough.
Here are a couple of things you can do to reduce your risk of getting in trouble. Your Internet attorney can provide you with more.
1. When you’re tweeting, be sure to include “spon” or “ad” in your affiliate tweets.
2. And whether you’re using static websites or dynamic blogs, be sure to disclosure material connections, such as an affiliate relationship. One of the ways to do this is to use a website Compensation Disclosure Policy.
To your online success!
-Mike the Internet Attorney
