This is the contents of my disclosure statement, now linked in the footer of every page. If you’ve read this, you’ve read it–so you don’t need to follow the link. Unless you’d like to, of course.
Have you ever tried reading the copy of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guide to something like, say, the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising? I hadn’t until tonight, when I decided to finally get around to posting a disclosure statement for bekahcubed.
The FTC Guide includes the worst of legalese and that unique governmental syntax that makes documents virtually unreadable. From my quick scan, the gist appears to be that it’s hard to figure out who to trust and whether someone’s being honest when they say something’s great or if they have ulterior motives.
Enter the blogging disclosure statement. Lots of bloggers include these as a little blurb in their sidebar. Others have a disclosure statement or a link to a disclosure statement on every page that might be construed as a recommendation. For my part, I already have uber-busy sidebars, and have enough difficulties with remembering to include vital things like links and apostrophes in my posts–I don’t think I’m ready to add a disclosure statement to that mix.
So I’m compromising with a disclosure statement (that would be what you’re reading right now) linked from the footer of each page.
General Disclosure
I am an independent blogger/website owner. I do not receive anything (except pleasure and occasional comments) for what I write on bekahcubed. All opinions expressed on bekahcubed are the opinions of the author (that would be me, Rebekah Menter) unless exlicitly noted.
I am a Registered Dietitian and a graduate student and teaching assistant at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. While these roles do inform my opinions, I do not claim to speak on behalf of either the American Dietetic Association, the Commission on Dietetic Registration, or the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Books
I am an inveterate reader and acquire the majority of my books from my local library based on perusal of the stacks and recommendations from other readers, blogging and otherwise. Other books are purchased by myself or given/lent to me as gifts from (so far as I know) disinterested individuals.
If I should ever receive a review copy of a book or otherwise receive compensation for a review, I will note that along with my review. Even in these instances, opinions are still entirely my own, regardless of the book’s source.
I select books for review using a highly specialized process commonly called “whatever I feel like doing.” I link to other reviews, to publisher’s websites, or to online marketplaces when I feel that the link may be useful to my readers. I do not receive compensation of any sort for links from my website.
Other Products
As for the other stuff I might accidentally review–I still only post my own opinions. So far as I know, I have only ever mentioned things that I have personally bought or that have been given to me by disinterested individuals–except if I’ve mentioned some sort of give-a-way item that was given with no expectation of a review (like the mousepads and water bottles they give away at street fairs and the like). If I were to ever receive something from a vendor who requests that I review it on my site, I will review it at my discretion, using my own opinions, and clearly stating any compensation within the review post.
Note to the FTC:
I’m sorry, I didn’t read your article. I found it to be completely abstruse and much too arcane for an ordinary BS bearing, professional credential holding, MS candidate such as myself. If I missed any important details, I apologize–and beg that you not prosecute me. After all, it’s not like I’m getting paid for anything I do on this blog. I promise. Really.
Heh =D