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Affiliate Disclosure Requirements and Examples The following is based on the FTC Disclosure Guidelines of December, 2009 and May 2000, as well as our conversations with the FTC on how those guidelines apply to our particular program. Legacy Learning Systems requires its affiliates to disclose their affiliation with us precisely as described in this document. These requirements apply to affiliates who promote our products via written reviews, testimonials, endorsements or other forms of written promotion. They are not applicable to display ads, text ads, or other traditional forms of advertisement. There are four basic requirements for disclosures. All disclosures must be: Frequent, Clear, Conspicuous, and Requiring No Action. Details on how to comply with the Four Standards are below. Please refer compliance questions to our Affiliate Manager. 1) FrequentPlacing one disclosure on your home page or a link to one in your footer is not enough. Disclosures must be on every page of your site that has a review, recommendation, comment or article appears that promotes a product for which you receive any form of compensation. 2) ClearThe disclosure must make it clear right away to the reader that you are compensated for your review. You may include other information in your disclosure, such as whether you personally tested the product or that your review is honest, but you must disclose compensation first (at the beginning) and clearly. It should not be hidden in legalese. Here are some examples of acceptable (clear) and unacceptable (unclear) disclosures: Unacceptable Example 1The following disclosure is unacceptable, because compensation is not disclosed at the beginning, but rather at the end.
Unacceptable Example 2The following disclosure is unacceptable because it is unclear.
Acceptable Example 1The following disclosure isacceptable:
3) ConspicuousThe disclosure must be conspicuous and easy to see on your site (in other words, it should stand out). It has to stand out from other text on the page so that it is immediately evident to all visitors. The disclosure text must be as large or larger than the main text. The disclosure text must be colored (not black or gray) and contrast with both with its background and the main text. It must not be lighter than its background or the main text. It must begin with the word “Disclosure:” Unacceptable Example 3The following disclosure is unacceptable because it is not in a colored font. Black and/or gray are not acceptable for disclosure text.
Unacceptable Example 4The following disclosure is unacceptable because it is in a lighter color than the main text:
Unacceptable Example 5The following disclosure is unacceptable both because it is smaller than the main text:
Unacceptable Example 6The following disclosure is unacceptable because it does not contrast with its background color:
Unacceptable Example 7The following disclosure is unacceptable because it does not start with the word “Disclosure:” and is therefore harder to identify:
Acceptable Example 2The following disclosure isacceptable because it uses a full-sized, colored font that contrasts with the main text and it opens with the word “Disclosure:”
4) Requiring No ActionYour disclosure must be immediately visible to anyone who visits your reviews or endorsements. The visitor should not be required to take any action to view it. Such actions include:
For more information on the FTC Disclosure, please refer to the following articles: Guides Concerning the Use of
Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising Questions? Contact our Affiliate Manager. |
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