Beginning December 1, 2009, the FTC requires bloggers to provide disclosures whenever there could be hidden interests or unspoken biases related to recommendations.

Per the FTC rules, I have to disclose pretty much every activity that I do if there is something that benefits me. For example, if someone buys me lunch, I would need to say “[Some Artist] bought me lunch while this post was being prepared”. Same story if I use an iTunes link that gets me 8 cents instead of an iTunes link that gets me 0 cents. If someone gives me a t-shirt with a logo or likeness and I wear it in a photo, same story. Disclaimers all over the place.

This would be tedious and ridiculous for me to keep up with and a distraction for readers.

To cover my butt and preserve your reading experience, please assume that, for every recommendation, link, and product I use, the following all hold true and there should not be any problems:

• The writer was given vast sums of money
• The writer got busy with a member of the story
• The writer got some sweet gadgets
• The writer got a killer schwag bag
• The writer got stock options
• The writer got fed

Michael Rae (920 Posts)

Michael Rae started All-American Country Music so he could stay up-to-date with new music that was being recorded and released, but also to discover new artists. He is passionate about bacon, fantasy football, and social marketing. Favorites -> Artist: Chris Ledoux, Album: Rhett Akins - A Thousand Memories, Song: Blue Clear Sky - George Strait