The Federal Trade Commission today announced it has approved publication of a Federal Register notice seeking public comments on proposed revisions to the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

In a Federal Register notice published in January 2007, the FTC sought public comment on the overall costs, benefits, and regulatory and economic impact of the Guides, which were last updated in 1980. In the newly approved Federal Register notice, the FTC’s proposed revisions to the Guides address consumer endorsements, expert endorsements, endorsement by organizations, and disclosure of material connections between advertisers and endorsers. On the issue of consumer endorsements, the proposed revisions state that testimonials that do not describe typical consumer experiences should be accompanied by clear and conspicuous disclosure of the results consumers can generally expect to achieve from the advertised product or program.

The Commission vote approving issuance of the Federal Register notice was 4-0. The notice will be published in the Federal Register shortly, and is available now on the FTC’s Web site as a link to this press release. Public comments are being accepted through January 30, 2009.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.