Is Adam and Eve Violating FTC Rules?

I got several emails this weekend from fellow bloggers who think that Adam and Eve is playing dirty, not just with the bloggers but with customers.

It seems Adam and Eve is paying for what are called sponsored stories.  What this means is that Adam and eve writes a review of their own sex toys, movies, lubes whatever and they pay the blogger to post that article on their blog.

Several bloggers have done so and they made note to their readers that the article was a sponsored article because they are REQUIRED TO DO SO by the Federal Trade Commission.

Adam and Eve then with holds payment until the blogger removes the part about the article being a sponsored article.

Now, I don’t buy that Adam and Eve doesnt know about the law,  it’s not exactly obscure. so this seems like a pretty scummy thing to do any way you look at it.

I am awaiting a response from Katy Zvolerin at Adam and Eve  but I’m not holding my breath….

At least they had enough sense not to pull that BS with me……

And my readers can bet that if I endorse some product or company or someone it is because I have dealt with them and I personally use that product!

73800cookie-checkIs Adam and Eve Violating FTC Rules?

Is Adam and Eve Violating FTC Rules?

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7 Responses

  1. Actually if you want to get technical, your blog is in violation as well. Any time you ever talk about anyone, ever that you have any sort of financial relationship with or may benefit from financially, even indirectly, you must put the disclaimer in.

    One person even said you must put the disclaimer stating you aren’t profiting from said information. I don’t know if what they said about that part of the rule is true but eh.

  2. I doubt Mike makes a living off this website. Probably the ad revenue pays the bills but he must make his real bread somewhere else (doesn’t he own or manage a strip club)?

  3. It’s a interesting question Mike, but unlikely to of concern to the FTC.

    The bloggers themselves are likely being more than slightly paranoid. If their blogs are generally promotional in nature, say as promotion for paysites or such, then it’s already a given that all of the material on the site is promotional in nature, by default. At that point, is there any reason to specifically identify material given to you by a company to use?

    As an example, what if Adam and Eve write up 10 of these things, or had a “generator” to make the text, and affiliates to their site could use that text? Would the affiliates have to note it’s source?

    Now, if Adam and Eve came to your site and wanted such a post, you would likely have to identify it as such because the nature of your blog isn’t specifically promotional. That would be a somewhat different kettle of fish.

  4. This is a common tactic of lobbying groups. We had a controversial recall election of our governor last year. All the blogs and news comment sections were LOADED with paid Tea Party bloggers endorsing a company that supported the governor or other cause.

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