I recently had a run in with a client that wanted me to post articles for them that included links to there websites. They wanted posts on websites like Associated Content, Squidoo, Hubpages, etc. the pay would have been pretty good but I have read and re-read the TOS for these websites. I want to know what you all think about this and if they should be reported and to whom?
It's not clear from your question what your issue is. If you didn't write the articles your client wanted, and neither did anyone else, it seems that there is no violation of any FTC guidelines. Even if the articles were written and published, only articles which contain an endorsement and do not disclose the relationship would potentially violate the guidelines. (I assume FTC guidelines are the recently released changes to their endorsement guidelines. There are other FTC guidelines that might also apply). The FTC guidelines do not prohibit endorsements from an interested party, they only require full disclosure. Was there disclosure? Even if there was no disclosure, there is no specific requirement that someone who discovers it must take action. If you want to take action, probably the easiest step would be contacting the FTC. The guidelines do not themselves provide for reporting. The FTC has stated that it is not monitoring websites but if possible violations of the FTC Act come to its attention, it will evaluate them case by case.
Thank you for replying Ok the question I have is the client wanted me to write articles about finance with a link to several websites that he owns and the articles were supposed to be published on websites such as Associated Content, Squidoo and Hubpages in my personal accounts. When I informed him that according to FTC I had to disclose that I was being paid for the article. He then stated that intent would not be known if I didn't disclose it and that he did NOT want me to disclose that I was being paid for the article and write the article under the guise of an informational article. Am I wrong or does this violate FTC guidelines?
Without reading the articles, it is impossible to conclude whether the articles violate the guidelines or not. The guidelines apply section 5 of the FTC Act to "use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising." If the article is written in a way that it is viewed as an endorsement of the client's website or business, then it would likely violate the guidelines. If it is a general informational article and simply provides a link to the client's site, it may not be an endorsement. The guidelines state that "an endorsement means any advertising message ... that consumers are likely to believe reflects the opinions, beliefs, findings, or experiences of a party other than the sponsoring advertiser." It is conceivable that a link to a website could be viewed as an endorsement simply because it is in close proximity to some positive statements, even if those statements do not explicitly endorse the website. On the other hand, it would seem that a link to the client's could also be included in a way that does not constitute an endorsement. I hope this helps.