# The affiliate disclosure belongs next to the recommendation

A free product, commission or employment relationship can change how readers weigh a recommendation.

[Canonical HTML page](https://nosecrets.app/en/stories/affiliate-links-disclose-where-it-matters)

Published by: [No Secrets Research](https://nosecrets.app/en/about#methodology)
Added: 2026-10-20
Topic: Behind the business

## Scope and context

Applies to: Endorsements affecting US consumers
Time context: FTC guidance checked October 20, 2026
Sources checked: 2026-10-20

FTC guidance is context-dependent and other jurisdictions may apply. A commercial relationship alone does not prove a recommendation false.

## Payment is broader than cash

FTC guidance includes free or discounted products, employment, family connections and other valuable benefits. An influencer’s belief that they are unbiased does not remove the need to disclose a material connection.

[1: FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers)

## Put it at the decision point

A profile-only statement may be missed. The disclosure should be visible with the endorsement and in the same language. For affiliate links, explain that purchases can earn a commission close enough to the recommendation for readers to notice.

[1: FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) · [2: FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking)

## What readers can ask

Look for who funded the test, which products were compared and whether the creator benefits from a purchase. These questions provide context; they do not replace checking the evidence behind the product claims.

[2: FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking)

## Sources

1. [Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) — FTC. 2019-11. Material connections and visible, same-language disclosures.

2. [FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) — FTC. . Detailed guidance including affiliate links.

## Disclosure

AI-assisted research, writing and translation by No Secrets, using the linked public documents. This is a source summary, not firsthand reporting or an independently audited investigation. No affiliate links are used in this article.

The source-check date is not the event date. Original documents control if a summary differs.