It's Not About the Stuff: On product placement & blogging

The Federal Trade Commission is looking closely at "product placement" on blogs and online more generally. Eager to get the word out, companies are only too glad to send out samples of their products to bloggers. As yesterday's New York Times reports:

The proliferation of paid sponsorships online has not been without controversy. Some in the online world deride the actions as kickbacks. Others also question the legitimacy of bloggers’ opinions, even when the commercial relationships are clearly outlined to readers.

And the Federal Trade Commission is taking a hard look at such practices and may soon require online media to comply with disclosure rules under its truth-in-advertising guidelines.

A draft of the new rules [a PDF file of these is here] was posted for public comments this year and the staff is to make a formal recommendation to be presented to the commissioners for a vote, perhaps by early fall.

Starting when I was blogging on Autism Vox, I've received emails to get autism-related "stuff" from devices to help a child sleep to supplements. I've only said yes to books, many from Jessica Kingsley Publishers, which produces a number of titles about autism. I try to write briefly about most, while not always able to do full reviews. On my list to complete before the summer is over are: A more complete review of The Horse Boy and also a review of Boy Alone. I also have a copy of the revised Engaging Autism by Dr. Stanley Greenspan on my table, as I'm curious about what's been changed since the first edition. (Actually, there's a part of me that just wants to write reviews of books about autism.)

I also did request and receive a copy of the Transporters DVD and appreciated being able to show it to Charlie to see what he thought about it. (He wasn't interested at all.) I don't think I would have been able to have said anything beyond speculation without seeing how Charlie responded to the DVD. It's been no to other stuff. Also (so you know), I get a regular supply of emails about autism conferences, autism videos, studies about autism, studies about various health topics (obesity, for one), and usually say "thank you, I prefer not" to writing about most.

I am getting a little on my ethical high horse here. But what I really wish to note is that, as Dora put it, a device is just a device. There's so many things that get touted as "helping autistic kids"; the best thing that anyone any gave Charlie was their free time, their compassion, their regard; their patience to really get to know him not based on preconceived notions of autism, but based on actual experience.

We used to joke that not only did we choose the toys to give to Charlie as Christmas and birthday presents; it often felt that we were choosing the toys for ourselves, as we had to teach Charlie to play with them and, indeed to be, interested in them. In twelve years of parenting Charlie, one lesson finally learned is that he pretty much chooses what he wants, based on what is around him, and his preference has never been for any neat new techno-dohicky. Lately the thing he first asks and reaches for has been a strand of olive green worry beads. Charlie's often just been asking me for "green"; we quickly supply the noun so his request is a bit more precise. And those worry beads were mom-and-dad-supplied (meant to be gifts for friends at work; they didn't mind that Charlie claimed them).

And no, not planning to go into any kind of business marketing those as the latest "stress-reducer" for kids on the spectrum. Just glad to have stumbled upon something that Charlie likes!