I, personally, welcome the new guidelines. While I don’t have anything against those that do paid reviews, I do think the process should be as transparent as possible. You may be able to post a fair review of a product you’ve been paid to review, but your audience should be aware of any potential conflicts of interest.

With that said, many people have already begun pointing out some potential problems with the enforceability of the new rules. So far, it looks like bloggers are the only groups singled out, which would leave loopholes for countless other Web-related mediums. What about paid Twitter Tweets, Amazon reviews, or Facebook messages? I’d like to think they would all be covered by the FTC’s new guidelines, but nobody seems to know right now.

Astroturfing is basically the process of getting some people together to advocate whatever you are pushing (such as a product, a message, or a candidate for office). While the concept is not new and has been used before the internet came along, the simple fact is that creating fake reviews, testimonials, and word of mouth online is cheaper and easier than it has ever been before. Take for example Reverb Communications, a company that appears to be heavily into the astroturfing game.

In their own sales pitch, Reverb Communications outlines their tactics of creating positive reviews in house. Mobile Crunch goes into further detail by examining specific clients of Reverb Communications with example reviews posted in the iTunes App Store.

While Reverb Communications seems to focus on iTunes Apps, astroturfing has likely influenced all major user review sites. And that right there is the problem. How big is that influence on a particular site? Two of the sites I use frequently for online purchases are Amazon and Newegg and both have a user review system that I use to help me in find the right product. For instance, last year when I built a new computer, I purchased most of the parts from Newegg. I had the general specs in mind, but used online reviews to help me determine which specific part or brand to go with. What if most of the positive reviews for a particular product were artificial? At that point, it’s basically a crapshoot whether or not I picked a good product or not.

And that is why astroturfing is 100% unethical in my book. When I watch television and see an advertisement with a professional athelete saying how much they love a particular energy drink, I know it’s an advertisement and can filter the “review” of the product with that in mind. However, when legitimate online reviews are mixed with paid reviews, fake testimonials, and other such nonsense, the consumer is left without a major tool in deciding what’s best for them. Sure it may be legal, but that doesn’t mean we should all stand for it.