>LOS ANGELES — The Federal Trade Commission called out Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Monday for paying YouTube creators to endorse the publisher's game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.
In a settlement, the FTC said the entertainment company failed to adequately disclose it paid influencers "hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars" to create sponsored videos that only promote the game in a positive way.
The complaint alleges that Warner Bros. used its advertising agency Plaid Social Labs to hire these influencers, give them a free advance-release version of the game and have them post about it on YouTube and social media platforms.
>Critics argue that when influencers post endorsement videos — without disclosing they were paid to do the endorsement — it is both unethical and a breach of the FTC's endorsement guidelines. The FTC ruled that all videos made by these influencers related to Shadow of Mordor are therefore "sponsored advertisements."
>The fantasy roleplaying game, released in 2014, is based in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings universe. Overall, the game was fairly well-received, including by Mashable, which listed it as one of the "top 10 must-play games of 2014."
>Warner Bros. does not have to pay fines, but the FTC called on the studio to “[provide] each Influencer with a statement of his or her responsibility" to disclose endorsements clearly in the future.
Oliver Allen
Meh, had they done this sort of thing with a really bad game that would be one thing.
But shadow of mordor was actually pretty decent.
Robert Young
Meh, it was a good game. Who gives a fuck.
If you're taking advice off of a YouTube personality you shouldn't be allowed your own bank account anyway
Ian Richardson
#GamerGatePart2 starts now
Jace Gonzalez
Finally, we're not just racist but racist and sexist again!
Carter Powell
...
John Russell
who cares
Benjamin Garcia
Pewdiepie isn't a critic.
Easton Martin
>man it's so easy to withhold information and keep it a secret forever in the internet age!
said nobody ever
Brandon Stewart
This, fuck your man baby hobbies.
Jonathan Ward
pls no
Thomas White
This is that kind of thing you should be outraged about I suppose but can't because you never really assumed otherwise.
Austin Turner
>politics
Joseph Brown
>outed Wait, did anyone think he isn't paid by publishers?
Carson Moore
NO ONE CARES O
O N E
C A R E S
Matthew Ortiz
damn never knew /trash/ existed lmao wtf..
Owen Brooks
Who cares? Someone was paid to advertise a game... woah
Gavin Perez
You mean people actually trust youtube celebrities?
Xavier Butler
who gives a shit
e-celebs being paid to promote a AAA game is about the least interesting non-issue I could imagine.
I fucking hate Sup Forums autists.
Jace Morris
First post shill post.
Gavin Walker
What's Pewdiepie?
Jason Foster
Shadow of Mordor was pretty alright desu
Zachary Evans
where the fuck do you think you are?
Brody Allen
FOUND THE KIKE SHILLS
FUCK OFF KIKES
Joseph Lewis
WTF I HATE LEAFY NOW
Henry Rivera
The funny thing is this happened a long time ago during #gamergate and no one gave a shit about it. Now it's big news apparently. Did something change?
Matthew Rivera
Shadow of mordor was like my 4th fave game but now I don't know what to think
Jeremiah Ross
???
Literally every single video game company pays youtubers to speak well of their games
I dont know why is this a surprise
Mason Cruz
shite b8 go post with all the other 14 year old retards on Sup Forums
Gavin Phillips
literally nobody cares, and nobody on Sup Forums probably even watches the faggot
Nicholas Anderson
>still playing videogames neck yourselves
Ryder Gutierrez
The problem is that the FTC was not made aware. Advertising is supposed to be scrutinized by the FTC to keep subliminal advertising and other racist, biased shit from being pushed to the public. So the FTC was supposed to approve the advertising and what was being said, first. On top of this, if someone is being paid to support a product, there is supposed to be a message someplace that states that the person is being paid to support it.
Grayson Lee
>/trash/
Damn, that board is 90% furry shit. Based mods taking out the trash.
Lucas Nelson
Does this mean there will be another video game Law and Order: SVU episode?
Asher Fisher
>guy who makes money from playing video games makes money by promoting said games
