Interesting article I picked up over on IWon.com, originally from AP news. I'll have a little of the original material snipped in the comments area below, but am using the space here, above the fold so to say, to question why the new policy even had to be created, clarified, or otherwise enacted?
Meaning, I don't understand why the originization referred to in the article found here: Bloggers Must Disclose Sponsored Posts wasn't requiring full disclosure from day one?! It seems like a common sense thing to me. Someone paid to post should absolutely 'fess up right away and let the world know that they are basically reading a paid advertisement or otherwise blatant propaganda that has at a minimum been influenced by payment for the article, or by exchange of goods for services rendered (the writing of the article/content on a blog).
I know we continue to live in a world that has banned payola, but in which it still happens in the radio business. We continue to have "journalists" provide articles and content to support political policies, candidates and programs, but it really shouldn't be this way. People should be honest with their audiences and tell them up front when they are being influenced by money.
Sadly it seems that if left to their own, many people will never tell the audience that they have a stake in a product or service (or anything else) that they talk about. Sorry, that will never happen here. If you read something I've written I'll tell you when I have any stake in product, service, company, etc. For the most part, if you read something I've written, you are reading my own thoughts and comments, and about my own personal experiences or those of people I know directly (outside of news articles I may write and comment about, or political issues and such).
As much as I might like the thought of getting free copies of games I may review, it just doesn't happen. I don't have the connections to get them, nor would I really want them. If I was getting freebies, I'd constantly be second guessing myself about just how fair I was or just how harsh I was in my comments. I don't need that weighing on the back of my mind as I put up my own view of things. I'd rather go through a regular everyday experience in buying, renting, or borrowing an item from a friend, using it, and then leaving my thoughts about it for others to see. At least then I can feel like I'll be keeping myself honest in my writing.
See a few clips from the original article quoted in the comments area. Happy reading.
