Flag_of_the_United_States_Federal_Trade_CommissionI of the curious things I discovered when I began receiving books from publishers to review on my blog was that I demand to disclose my "material connectedness" with the publisher that provided the review copy. On my web log, information technology appears at the end of the review of any book I have received for free for review purposes. Information technology is usually some variation of this:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this volume gratuitous from the publisher. I was non required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I wondered whether this was some kind of "urban myth" circulating on the internet. I learned that this is a existent deal and that while I haven't heard of bloggers beingness prosecuted for failing to disclose "material connections" I'grand given to understand it could happen. This weblog is simply a labor of love. Also some costless books, I do not go paid for writing it, and I consider the effort of reading the books and writing honest reviews a fair exchange. Simply put, I have no interest in shelling out legal fees, then I include the disclosure, even though it seems kind of unfriendly.

This all comes from rules the Federal Trade Commission put in place in 2009 for online media that is chosen "sixteen CFR Part 255" or "Guides Apropos the Employ of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." There are a few important things (do not take this as legal communication, I am not a lawyer) that I gleaned in reading this.

  1. I need to disclose a material connection each and every time I review a book I received for gratis for review purposes from the publisher. A single disclosure on my home or nearly page isn't sufficient. I don't have to include a disclosure on books I review that I've purchased and y'all will not encounter such a disclosure in those reviews.
  2. Disclosures need to be "clear and conspicuous." It should be close to the content or claim, in hands readable impress (or if it is an audio blog, it needs to exist audible and read at a speed that can be followed.)
  3. There is no single legal template that must be followed, simply a brief disclosure such as "I received this product for free in exchange for a review." I drew my language from this site. For a while I included the legalese about the FTC regulation but eventually dropped it because the FTC doesn't crave this.
  4. If you are paid in substitution for a review, you should disclose that just do not need to specify the amount. Besides, if you are an affiliate marketer for a retail site and provide links to that site that allow you to receive payment if people make purchases by that link, you should disclose that. This article provides pretty good help on what y'all need to do if you do this. I do not include links to online retailers other than the publisher and I receive no bounty for this. I effort to encourage people to buy from local booksellers, especially independents.

A question that may have occurred to yous is "why don't print media reviewers take to make like disclosures?" The best answer I tin can find is that people understand already that reviewers receive review copies from publishers. They do not necessarily know this on social media (this also applies to other products). This disclosure protects consumers by letting them know that at that place is a relationship with the publisher or manufacturer of the product that may influence the review.

Does this human relationship influence me? I don't think and then but information technology is probably best to let others judge. I know I accept been critical of books I've received as review copies (including one I received this week). I've not had the experience of publishers no longer sending review copies because I wrote something disquisitional. I always endeavor to be fair, and affirm what I think is expert or helpful in a book, whether I paid for it or not. I realize authors accept invested deeply in what they have brought to print. I make it a point to leave the decision of whether to purchase a volume or non upward to the reader. I will never say, "don't purchase this book."

Actually reviews may be more influenced past those who view them and follow the blog. Publishers ask for these statistics and base decisions on who they send review copies to on who you write for and how many they are. It'south odd that I don't have to disclose on the blog. It's my observation that well-nigh bloggers are far more than driven by this factor than "material connections." Actually, I'thou quite grateful for those of yous who read, comment and follow–you make this worth it!

So, I will keep providing those disclosures. I suppose it is a way of keeping me honest. I hope you will practise that also. If a review is helpful, I'd love to know that, only equally, if you think I really got it wrong on a book, let me know. No refunds, but y'all will keep me mindful of those I actually write for!