For advertisers and marketers, tensions in 1999 will build to an explosion in
2000, with stemming from electronic marketing, the Internet and global advertising.
According to Hall Dickler Kent Friedman & Wood LLP’s
annual ADLAW predictions, globalization will cause unforeseen problems.
“We expect the European Community to determine how its strict rules on privacy
can be enforced against operators of sites in the U.S., where privacy laws are
far more relaxed,” said Douglas J. Wood, executive partner. “Looks like a
showdown between the U.S. ‘hands off’ policy versus the EU’s very paternal
approach.”
The report predicts the FTC will implement regulations under the Children’s
Online Privacy Protection Act, while the Direct Marketing Association
continues to push for self-regulation for adult privacy rights on the
Internet.
“These regulations appear to deal solely with the Internet, but
don’t be lulled into a false sense of security,” Wood said. “Most of the seeds
being planted are highly restrictive and could spill over into most forms of
direct marketing and database collections.”
Wood also said that new Internet entrepreneurs are “playing with fire as they
ignore local laws governing the advertising and sale of their products.”
Everything from violating use of words like “new,” “sale,” or “guarantee,” to
more serious problems such as “failing to deliver within 30 days,” is under
fire, he said. Would-be Internet millionaires will be exposed to potentially
crushing fines and regulatory scrutiny.”
Other Hall Dickler predictions:
- Marketing to children may be banned in Europe this year when the
representative from Sweden prepares to assume the presidency of the European
Union in 2000. “Sweden, long an outspoken opponent of children’s advertising,
has already drafted a plan to at least partially ban such marketing efforts,”
said Linda Goldstein, head of Hall Dickler’s Advertising, Marketing and New
Media practice. “If Sweden succeeds, what’s next?”
- The much anticipated availability of new top level domains to compete with
“.com,” “.net” and “.org” failed to be approved for yet another year. “Don’t
expect to see any in 1999, either,” said Wood. “More than a dozen special
interest groups around the world are fighting over who will run the Internet
in the next millennium. No one seems able to agree, and for the marketer, it
means that “.com” is still the only game in town.”
- “1999 will appear to be the calm before the storm,” said Wood. “But don’t be
fooled. The Internet is proving to be a minefield for advertisers and
marketers and the FTC has demonstrated it should be taken seriously. Watch
closely, get informed and get involved.”
Hall Dickler is a full service law firm which has specialized in advertising,
marketing and promotion law for 50 years.
