In case you've been out of the country, the FTC last week instituted its long-awaited guidelines designed to ferret out commercial deception in the social spheres. Mathew Ingram managed to tease out the tête-Ã -tête by twipping off Jeff to Mark's POV on the new rules.
Here's the exchange as it unfolded in 140-character twincrements:
mathewi: @jeffjarvis? RT @mediatwit: I think the FTC rules are good. I doubt they will enforce every tiny thing and any push for transparency is good
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Good, God, Mark, you endorse the FTC rules in a tweet? Shall we discuss govt interference in public speech? The 1st Amendment?
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit And I don't buy the FTC's pr on this: 'Oh, don't worry about us.' What matters is the rules. Successors will enforce.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit But do the FTC rules extend to journalists on papers, magazines? No. So bloggers become 2nd class citizens w/fewer rights.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Of course, transparency is good. But you think govt should define & enforce it just for a) bloggers and b) celebs but not hacks?
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis And what shouldn't be enforced? Are you defending blogger's rights to deceive people with reviews?
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Then use existing fraud laws against anyone who defrauds (including the press). Don't single out bloggers.
mathewi: @jeffjarvis: hey, maybe @mediatwit was compensated by the FTC for that positive tweet -- that would be so meta :-)
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Let's push for transparency in govt first. And business. And journalism. Bloggers are citizens talking.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Government regulation of speech chills speech. It is a 1st Amendment matter. We should be defending speech.
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis Defending the 1st Amendment is one thing. Defending deceptive business practices, false advertisements on blogs is different.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit If I say something nice about BestBuy after speaking there I'm now liable. What's deceptive there? If Pogue does, he's not. Huh?
jeffjarvis: RT @mathewi: @jeffjarvis: hey, maybe @mediatwit was compensated by the FTC for that positive tweet -- that would be so meta :-)
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis What kind of speech will be chilled? Reviews of products on blogs? You really think bloggers will stop reviewing things?
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit See my Post, Mark. It's much more complex than 140 characters.
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis @mathewi The FTC is totally right! [This tweet paid for by the FTC] #joking
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Yes, Mark, they will. They are now in jeopardy. Pogue isn't. Papers should be defending bloggers right. As I'd think you would
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit I was about to say something nice about BestBuy but I am indeed liable. I'm chilled. No deception. Life under govt regulation.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Now say something nice about the LAT, CNET, Conde, NYT, EW, Merc, Nieman and then you must disclose or risk fine.
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis I will concede that disclosure is good, but if the FTC is really going to enforce in every tiny case, there would be a problem.
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis Why can't you say something nice about Best Buy after speaking there? Just disclose. I would want that as your reader.
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis If I write in-depth about PBS, LAT, USC, I do disclose that I work or worked for them. It makes sense to me.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit I do disclose. http://bit.ly/ZuP0x (expand) That is my choice. I don't want it by govt. fiat and under risk of prosecution. Do you? Truly?
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Only in-depth? What about a tweet? You're a media critic and you've been paid by media you write about. I trust you. Govt? No.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit Murdoch wasn't right about Delph, MySpace, LondonPaper.....
mediatwit: @jeffjarvis No, you are right. I like the idea of disclosure, but after
jeffjarvis: RT @mediatwit No, you're right. I like the idea of disclosure, but after looking at the rules, they don't make sense. Doubt they'd be legal
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit bravo, mark. i salute you.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit We agree abt PayPerPost et al. I hate them. But the FTC sullies and puts at risk all bloggers - citizens talking - as a result.
jeffjarvis: @mediatwit They should enforce fraud laws. But leave speech unregulated.
mathewi: In case you weren't following the Twitfight between @jeffjarvis and @mediatwit over the new FTC rules, @jeffjarvis won :-)
Link to original post