部落格行銷當紅,不少業者找知名部落客代言,希望借其人氣推銷產品。然而,這些分享文的背後,卻已非單純的個人體驗心得,而是業者花重金買來的奉承之詞,配合公關操作CGM及寫手大隊,企圖影響搜尋引擎排序及促成網路合購、討論等虛假熱潮。業者透過操弄輿論,影響消費者對產品的觀感,推動買氣,如此行銷手法,學界普遍認為具有道德爭議,而美國FTC去年(2009)底也修法規範部落客代言等口碑行銷方式,必須符合揭露原則,否則將予以懲處。反觀台灣,雖立委曾提案,呼籲仿照美國修法,卻未引起社會共識;近期,消基會積極介入調查,政府是否修法規範,有待觀察。然而,網路無遠弗屆,修法規範必須配合業者自律及社會大眾集體制衡力量,多方管道共同使力下,才可望真正改善問題,確實保障消費者權益。
Blog marketing takes off and many businesses are looking for well-known bloggers for product endorsements, hoping to sell more products via their popularity. However, articles by the bloggers are not merely personal experiences anymore, but more about the words of flattery bought by the businesses. With the help of CGM and writers brigade operated by public relations, the businesses try to reorder the search engine ranking and bring artificial blooms, such as online group buying and discussions. Hoping to encourage buying, they tempt to influence the consumers on their perceptions of products through the manipulation of public opinions. Such marketing practices were considered, by the academic circle, morally controversial. In view of this, FTC in the U.S amended the laws to regulate the marketing practice of online word-of-mouth, such as the bloggers’ endorsement, on which they should meet the principle of revelation; otherwise, they will be punished according to the law. As for Taiwan, although the legislators have proposed to call for amending the law modeled on the United States’, they still failed to attract the consensus in the community. Recently, Consumers' Foundation actively has involved in the investigation of the bloggers’ product placement; however, whether the Government is amending the law or not, it remains to be seen. Still, the Internet spreads far and widely, so amending the law should not go without the self-discipline of the businesses and the check-and-balance by the general public collective. Having multiple ways and approaches working together, we could improve such situation and secure the rights of the consumers.