by Paul Alan Levy
For some time, Facebook has been serving me an advertisement from Google’s version of Groupon. The text promotes an offer for a meal at a well-reviewed DC restaurant: “this special deal from Zaytinya, Washington’s Most Popular Restaurant as voted in Zagat. Buy it now!”
When I click on the ad, I am taken to the home page of Google Offers (for DC of course), but the page is grayed out by a dialog box urging me not to “miss a single Google Offer” by subscribing. If I click that off and proceed to the home page, I see an ad for “Chef’s winter tasting menu at Zaytinya” but the legend in the lower right hand corner says “too late,” and if I click through to the page for that offer I learn that the offer is “SOLD OUT.” At the top of the page, I am again reminded, “Don't miss out! Subscribe to get Washington D.C. offers straight to your inbox.”
I assume that Facebook is immune from liability under Section 230, but isn’t Google running afoul of the FTC’s rules by advertising a product that it doesn’t have available to sell, and, in fact, will never again have the ability to sell?
I don't think so?
because I believe we're in right age to decide in our own, so be responsible!
Posted by: freelance writer | Monday, January 30, 2012 at 09:35 AM