As PRNewser has previously reported, things are a bit messy right now — to say the least — when it comes to social media and disclosure. That is, bloggers, spokespeople, PR and marketing professionals disclosing who is paying them to say stuff and what is “authentic” communication.

The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) is trying to clear things up a bit with its new “Guidelines For Social Media Disclosure.”

For blogs, WOMMA suggests bloggers use the following language:

I received (product or sample) from (company name), or (company name) sent me (product or sample).

For platforms such as Twitter, WOMMA recommends marketers and PR pros use the following hashtags:

#spon (sponsored)
#paid (paid)
#samp (sample)

“While the FTC Guidelines are relatively straightforward, marketers and bloggers still had plenty of questions on exactly what they should be communicating or sharing,” said Tony DiResta, WOMMA General Counsel and Partner at Manatt in a statement.

It will be interesting to see if the suggested language and hashtags catch on. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

[Image via Zazzle.com]