11 March 2009

Should celebrities be responsible for endorsements?

Chinese celebrities will share liability if the food products they endorse prove to be unsafe, under a law to be submitted to China's Parliament...

The report by the China Daily gave no details on how stars would be held accountable under the draft law, but quoted a legal expert saying the "joint liability" provision would leave them open to compensation claims.

The stipulation is part of China's efforts to bolster food safety systems following a string of scandals that have killed or sickened consumers and hurt the image overseas of Chinese exports.
An interesting concept. If a drug, a cosmetic, a food product, or a kitchen gadget turns out to be unsafe, the manufacturer is held to a degree of accountability and financial responsibility. Should similar standards be applied to celebrities or athletes who do the commercials advising the public to buy the product? I don't have time to ponder the implications now, but it's worth thinking about...

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