FTC Guides Concerning Use of Testimonials in Advertising – Background & Summary

• By: Staff Editor
• Date: August 16, 2010

In October 2009 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its final Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. The Guides revise the FTC's initial guidelines published in 1980, providing advertisers and spokespeople with insight on how to keep their endorsement and testimonial advertisements in compliance with the FTC Act, particularly in light of new issues posed by the emergence of social media. The Guides took effect on December 1, 2009.

This article gives the background to the Guides and provides a summary of the guidelines.