This week, the Federal Trade Commission issued revised guidelines for internet marketers (i.e. bloggers, affiliate marketers, YOU…) who use testimonials, endorsements, reviews or any other form of comment or social proof apparently, in their marketing.

Here’s my opinion for now:

Wait until the dust settles before you panic.

I’ve received more than a few emails from you about this issue — and right now I just want to say “relax… don’t shut your websites down just yet. Sheeze!”

The main focus of the document centers around, as it’s titled, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Many years ago, I heard a very old man, a previous prisoner of war, share his heart-wrenching experience… there was nothing obviously unique or extraordinary about him, nothing apparently special or superhuman yet, as he spoke he explained that he had survived more than five long years… FIVE YEARS… in SOLITARY confinement as a prisoner of war.

I’m sure his ordeal is not unique. Many others may also have suffered a similar fate. War is a very sad human affair and many tragedies and horrifically sad stories are written on the pages of history in the wake of wars.

I remember him…