Comments on: Fear of a Blogged Planet http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/2009/10/06/fear-of-a-blogged-planet/ You already know you're being watched. Do you know you're being scored? Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:20:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lauren http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/2009/10/06/fear-of-a-blogged-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-415718 Lauren Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:50:35 +0000 http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/?p=962#comment-415718 Also, given that the average price of a young adult hardcover is about $12 on Amazon, is it really fair to think of a free ARC as any kind of reasonable compensation for a review? It takes a lot of work to read and review a book. I wonder if food critics will have to declare all of their free meals. Also, given that the average price of a young adult hardcover is about $12 on Amazon, is it really fair to think of a free ARC as any kind of reasonable compensation for a review? It takes a lot of work to read and review a book.

I wonder if food critics will have to declare all of their free meals.

]]> By: Jeanne http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/2009/10/06/fear-of-a-blogged-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-415717 Jeanne Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:37:17 +0000 http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/?p=962#comment-415717 Free Advance Reader Copies have been a controversy on book blogs for the last two years (it's why Blog With Integrity was recently created). That some book bloggers think free books--even uncorrected proofs--are adequate payment for enthusiastic reviews is all I can figure. It's a bit like when doctors used to prescribe and also sell medicine. Personally, I'm not so deep into the US recession that I have a sign up saying "will work for books." I bought yours. Free Advance Reader Copies have been a controversy on book blogs for the last two years (it’s why Blog With Integrity was recently created). That some book bloggers think free books–even uncorrected proofs–are adequate payment for enthusiastic reviews is all I can figure. It’s a bit like when doctors used to prescribe and also sell medicine.

Personally, I’m not so deep into the US recession that I have a sign up saying “will work for books.” I bought yours.

]]> By: dunielle http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/2009/10/06/fear-of-a-blogged-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-415700 dunielle Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:03:14 +0000 http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/?p=962#comment-415700 Worded perfectly. new follower dunielle Worded perfectly.

new follower
dunielle

]]> By: Lauren http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/2009/10/06/fear-of-a-blogged-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-415686 Lauren Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:13:24 +0000 http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/?p=962#comment-415686 The more I read about these guidelines, the more horrified I become. One of the wonderful things about online book reviewers like yourself is the way you create a community of active readers. Essential to this community are all the things the FTC wants to restrict--like linking to author's websites, links to buy the book online, etc. Why on earth the FTC wants to restrict this inherently democratic, user-generated community is utterly beyond me. My publisher and I gave away many copies of Cycler to reviewers and under no circumstances did we expect positive reviews, nor did we always get positive reviews. The strength of the online book community lies in the inherent integrity of it. It's a space where people say what they want because they're *not* profiting from it. To suggest that the receipt of a book is payment for the review of a book is just ludicrous to me. Does Anna Wintour have to declare all the clothes that she and her Vogue staff receive from designers hoping to be included in the next issue? Of course not. Nor should she. As the editor of Vogue, it's expected and natural that she should have ready access to the things she's opining on. I can only guess, as I said above, that this whole ridiculous thing is the result of some luddite terror of the brave new hyperlinked world. We should fight this tooth and nail. The more I read about these guidelines, the more horrified I become. One of the wonderful things about online book reviewers like yourself is the way you create a community of active readers. Essential to this community are all the things the FTC wants to restrict–like linking to author’s websites, links to buy the book online, etc. Why on earth the FTC wants to restrict this inherently democratic, user-generated community is utterly beyond me. My publisher and I gave away many copies of Cycler to reviewers and under no circumstances did we expect positive reviews, nor did we always get positive reviews. The strength of the online book community lies in the inherent integrity of it. It’s a space where people say what they want because they’re *not* profiting from it. To suggest that the receipt of a book is payment for the review of a book is just ludicrous to me. Does Anna Wintour have to declare all the clothes that she and her Vogue staff receive from designers hoping to be included in the next issue? Of course not. Nor should she. As the editor of Vogue, it’s expected and natural that she should have ready access to the things she’s opining on.

I can only guess, as I said above, that this whole ridiculous thing is the result of some luddite terror of the brave new hyperlinked world.

We should fight this tooth and nail.

]]> By: Genevieve http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/2009/10/06/fear-of-a-blogged-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-415685 Genevieve Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:14:06 +0000 http://www.laurenmclaughlin.net/?p=962#comment-415685 Seriously, you have no idea how much this issue has gotten me annoyed/mad. It is such a double standard that if it's in print, it's okay. I understand the part where you declare if the product you are reviewing was given to you for free. That makes sense because some people feel obligated to give a good review to get more free products (I don't though!). But everything else? No, I don't understand it. I need to take time this weekend to review the actual document but from what I've been able to gather it's basically: list if you got the product for free, don't link back to any retail stores or authors (for book blogging), and you'll have to list what you keep for your taxes as compensation. What really bothers me the most is not being allowed to link to authors. I like linking their websites. I like reading their blogs and linking good posts. And what about interviews? Are we not allowed to link to the author then? I don't understand how linking authors is considered endorsing them. And if we are not allowed to endorse authors, does that mean that we can't endorse political candidates also? The thing is, with me, I'll give an honest review. If I didn't like Cycler, I would have said so in a review. I know that you were kind enough to send the book to me but I would have tried not to be biased at all. Of course it is difficult to do at times, but I'd rather be honest about it. And it's not like I'm book reviewing to get free books, I really don't get that many! In fact, I think that when you sent me Cycler, that was the 1st book I received for review and not a contest. And the thing is I don't ask for books to review, if they're offered I'll check them out then decide whether I want to read it. Also, I read somewhere that if you have a bad review for a free product, the FTC doesn't care if you declare that it was free. That does not make sense to me. Bash something as much as you want but as soon as you say something nice (and didn't mention that it was free) you may get up to a $11,000 fine. And how does this all effect vloggers like us at FiveAwesomeYAFans? Are we thrown into the blogging community or are we considered a separate media? And you know, there was that one old document thing that we studied in school, you probably have heard about it: The United States Constitution. Yeah, funny how they had a certain 1st amendment that stated: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." I'm sure that you've guessed which part I find interesting with this new issues... "prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press". Why is blogging not considered press? Do I need to print up newsletters and mail them out to my followers? Anyways, I think that I could go on and on. But I think that I'll leave this comment at the length that it's at. Seriously, you have no idea how much this issue has gotten me annoyed/mad. It is such a double standard that if it’s in print, it’s okay. I understand the part where you declare if the product you are reviewing was given to you for free. That makes sense because some people feel obligated to give a good review to get more free products (I don’t though!). But everything else? No, I don’t understand it.

I need to take time this weekend to review the actual document but from what I’ve been able to gather it’s basically: list if you got the product for free, don’t link back to any retail stores or authors (for book blogging), and you’ll have to list what you keep for your taxes as compensation.

What really bothers me the most is not being allowed to link to authors. I like linking their websites. I like reading their blogs and linking good posts. And what about interviews? Are we not allowed to link to the author then? I don’t understand how linking authors is considered endorsing them. And if we are not allowed to endorse authors, does that mean that we can’t endorse political candidates also?

The thing is, with me, I’ll give an honest review. If I didn’t like Cycler, I would have said so in a review. I know that you were kind enough to send the book to me but I would have tried not to be biased at all. Of course it is difficult to do at times, but I’d rather be honest about it. And it’s not like I’m book reviewing to get free books, I really don’t get that many! In fact, I think that when you sent me Cycler, that was the 1st book I received for review and not a contest. And the thing is I don’t ask for books to review, if they’re offered I’ll check them out then decide whether I want to read it.

Also, I read somewhere that if you have a bad review for a free product, the FTC doesn’t care if you declare that it was free. That does not make sense to me. Bash something as much as you want but as soon as you say something nice (and didn’t mention that it was free) you may get up to a $11,000 fine.

And how does this all effect vloggers like us at FiveAwesomeYAFans? Are we thrown into the blogging community or are we considered a separate media?

And you know, there was that one old document thing that we studied in school, you probably have heard about it: The United States Constitution. Yeah, funny how they had a certain 1st amendment that stated:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

I’m sure that you’ve guessed which part I find interesting with this new issues… “prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press”. Why is blogging not considered press? Do I need to print up newsletters and mail them out to my followers?

Anyways, I think that I could go on and on. But I think that I’ll leave this comment at the length that it’s at.

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