FTC's rule banning fake online reviews goes into effect

> It also bans businesses from creating or selling reviews or testimonials. Businesses that knowingly buy fake reviews, procure them from company insiders or disseminate fake reviews will be penalized. It also prohibits businesses from using “unfounded or groundless legal threats, physical threats, intimidation, or certain false public accusations.”

Still seems like it leaves in a giant loophole for all of those overly-cheery reviews that start with, "This item was provided to me by the manufacturer in exchange for a fair and honest review!"

You are no longer allowrd to provide compensation for reviews. So companies can still send out stuff for your to possibly reviews but it can't make recieving items dependent on actually writing a review, even 'implicitly', though we'll see how enforcement shakes out.

Wouldn't this ban a huge swath of you tube reviews? I've watched plenty of youtube videos where some one uses a product and says something like "I had no interest in this thing, but the manufacturer offered it to me for free if I made a video of me using and gave my impressions of it"

Compensation can still be provided as long as it is not conditional on the reviewer expressing a particular sentiment. So your example could still be allowed.

> The final rule prohibits businesses from providing compensation or other incentives conditioned on the writing of consumer reviews expressing a particular sentiment, either positive or negative.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/...

OK, then this has been the de-facto standard amongst many industries for a long time. Plenty of reviewers say stuff like "it really is weird! I made one video about how I didn't like a product. After that I was never invited to attend a launch for a product, get early access, etc. I guess those two could not be correlated at all!"

Based on the text you have shared it'd be perfectly fine if you were paid to write a "neutral" review.