FTC to go after bloggers - but it's an AP article so I can't freaking link it!

[slow_dazzle]

Somebody thinks the blogosphere needs to be brought to heel methinks.

This could be a pain in the ass and a way of restricting freedom of speech:

LINK

[JurisDoctorOfDoom]

The states are already trying to pass these laws which would pretty much deep six my ability to take ads. That's bad enough. Now the FTC wants to get in the mix. The article that explains what is going on is unfortunately an AP article so I cant even freaking link it. But Kevin at Cryptogon has some commentary that pretty much explains what the FTC wants to do.

Before quoting Kevin, I think it's worth mentioning that the state laws aimed at sites like LATOC (those that run affiliate ads like Amazon ads), the MSM's war on fair use, and these new FTC regulations all started getting major traction back in April. I can't help but think these developments are part of some coordinated war on the internet.

The MSM knows they can attack the blogs by way of financial warfare since running ads is how most blogs are supported, at least most blogs where you have somebody putting in more than 2-3 hours per day at which point the blog is essentially at least a part time job. Destroy the bloggers ability to make even the equivalent of $10 an hour from their work and they will have to quit writing or at least cut back:

Emphasis mine:

What has happened is that bloggers have blown the support columns out from underneath traditional media and the people who run the show don’t like that. The fact that some of us are able to survive by maintaining blogs must have come as an incredible shock to fat bastards in boardrooms across the land. That we are not “regulated” is unthinkable in the Soviet hive mind that governs the political economy of the United States.

Wall Street firms have made off with an unknown sum of taxpayer money and the mom who makes $800 per month from her blogs (see the article below) is going to have comply with FTC regulations?

Of course, comrade. People who read blogs can’t be trusted to think for themselves. And those swarthy bloggers, why… There ought to be a law!

This is what states do that are well down the path to collapse.

Why should I care about being regulated since I already overtly disclose my financial situation?

How much of my day will I have to spend on complying with this? How many forms will I have to fill out? Will I have to pay a fee to government regulators so that I can continue to make less than minimum wage to run this site? All of that is unknown at this point.

The above is taken from a post at http://www.Cryptogon.com that also has unauthorized AP content so I don't think I can link that either. Kevin is obviously a naughty, naughty boy.

[wordnerd]

I think it may be more than the money
I think they "may" be trying to limit peope's access to accurate info

[JurisDoctorOfDoom]

I think it may be more than the money
I think they "may" be trying to limit people's access to accurate info

I think it's both but my guess is given the completely money-oriented nature of our system, it's the money that really counts. But the accurate info ties into that. How many people either:

A) didn't buy cars

B) didn't buy *new* cars

. . . as a result of what they read on PO blogs?

Now on the one hand you have the advertising lost due to Craigslist, and the readership lost to the blogs. But then you also have the people who are reading the blogs and the papers but are now at least partially inoculated against the ads in the papers for cars and homes due to what they've read on the blogs.

[wordnerd]

The reason I have not bought a "new" car - has nothing to do with Latoc
and everything to do with the economy
I "owe" much more on my car than it is worth
I can NOT trade it in
I planned on trading it in - and get a new "used" car - one that was much cheaper than the one I have
But the economy messed that up
Nothing to do with Latoc

I think many people are NOT buying new cars - because they can NOT afford to buy one.

[Chesyre]

irony will be when the most accurate american blogs are based out of the country.   

[wordnerd]

It's the same thing that The Daily Show with John Stewart - a comedy show - gives the most accurate news

[Rëdŗeameŕ]

Yes affilliate programs everywhere suffer.......

It seems to be a co-ordinated effort to attack both the manner in which the internet can function as in it's almost organic ability to change.

It's all about POWER and MONEY.

It affects me too in that it affects affliliate programs for images...... words and images all take time to produce and advertise.
I am quite sure that the twitter/internet content is shaping communities and affecting empowerment. It tends to *flatten* the power structures and one CANNOT have the masses educated and therefore empowered.

I feel the net tightening.

[ellen45]

I feel the net tightening.

The net is ALWAYS tightening.  Anytime ordinary people find a way to bypass the machine that shovels money to the RIGHT people, the net tightens to fill the loophole.   If they can't do it by cutthroat trade practices and crushing lawsuits, they will do it by getting the government to regulate the threat to their gravy train right out of existence.  And yes, that includes stay at home moms making $800 a month. 

[Phildo]

It's the same thing that The Daily Show with John Stewart - a comedy show - gives the most accurate news

Only the Fool, or Court Jester, can speak the truth about the King. 

But not too much truth, mind you.

[Chesyre]

whats that bird singing out in the yard ?   is that a mockingbird ?

[JurisDoctorOfDoom]

The net is ALWAYS tightening.  Anytime ordinary people find a way to bypass the machine that shovels money to the RIGHT people, the net tightens to fill the loophole.   If they can't do it by cutthroat trade practices and crushing lawsuits, they will do it by getting the government to regulate the threat to their gravy train right out of existence.  And yes, that includes stay at home moms making $800 a month. 

Yep, if some Mommy Blogger can't make $800 a month on her mommy blog then she is back to working for Mcdonald's (more money to a publicly traded fortune 500 company) or pushing paper as an administrative assistant for some publicly traded health care organization and commuting 30 minutes or more a day (more money to the auto companies, the tire companies, oil companies, etc.)

[Phildo]

I think it may be more than the money
I think they "may" be trying to limit people's access to accurate info

I think it's both but my guess is given the completely money-oriented nature of our system, it's the money that really counts. But the accurate info ties into that. How many people either:

A) didn't buy cars

B) didn't buy *new* cars

. . . as a result of what they read on PO blogs?

[Phildo raises hand]

You -- Him -- It is YOUR fault, MATT!

     

Obviously I am joking, but only half joking.

I am due and overdue to buy a new work truck.  Probably $35K to $45K -- dunno know their current numbers -- for the most part quit looking last year.

But as for buying or not is not because I am phat on the finances, but rather I am allowed a 100% first year write-off, and my ONLY hard spec was that it would have to run on something other than gas/oil alone.  Even E85 would be tolerable, as most will take E100.  But if I were to buy a new (whatever) that was built for gas/oil only and run other than, it would void the new warranty.  

All I got back was (as you say) Crickets Chirping.  Nobody makes anything other than gas/oil burners.  Nobody.    But for real, I will not buy a new gas / oil burner primarily because of you, Matt.  Now I will most likely rebuild my existing work truck (1995) and tune it for E100 or gas, or anywhere between.  And will probably convert an old Tempo we have sitting by the warehouse to be a full electric.

Spreading this wider across the blog-land -- I have lost Zero on the stock and real estate collapse, because of Whatreallyhappened.com.  

Gotta Give  Praise Where There is Praise To Be Given.

So Preach On, Brother Matt!    Hallajalugea!

     


(THEY are going to Soooo crucify you, dude.)  

[slow_dazzle]

Here you go Matt. Click "ignore this advertisement" at top r/h side of page if the link doesn't open to the article directly. I posted this in financial earlier today.

LINK

[Barter4Booze]

The FOBs that run the MSM targeting bloggers are as the elephant is to the nest of hornets.  No one hornet can bring down an elephant, but maybe 1 000 000 hornets can.

No one blogger has enough re$ource$ to challenge the MSM in court on constitutional grounds, so any kind of coordinated strategy vs. the MSM needs to be of the nature of a guerilla insurgency.

"Did you learn a thing or two from Charlie, or did you not?"

So what would it look like -- an organized effort among bloggers to bring down Arnold Palmer, or if not bring him down, drive him permanently into the rough?

Who made Arnold Palmer king?

You can't speak to Arnold Palmer; you can't mention Arnold Palmer; you can't quote Arnold Palmer.  Hell.  You can't even make reference to anything Arnold Palmer says?  I say, time to wheel out the shit-dip and sharpen the pointy sticks!

Fuck Arnold Palmer!