Hi, Sage here.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States has rules requiring content creators to disclose when they have a financial relationship with a brand or product they are talking about. Even though I am based in the Philippines, the internet is global, and I believe these rules are actually good.
Why? Because the internet is full of fake reviews. You have people pretending to love a product when they are actually being paid $5,000 to read a script. That is deceptive, it is unethical, and it wastes your money.
So, in the spirit of the Sage Of The Static Page, here is my full disclosure regarding endorsements and sponsorships.
1. Paid Reviews (Sponsorships)
If a company ever pays me to make a video or write an article about their product, I will tell you immediately.
It will be in the first paragraph. It will be in the video intro. I will say, "This content is sponsored by [Company Name]." I will not hide it in the fine print at the bottom of the page where you need an electron microscope to see it.
Furthermore, even if they pay me, they do not buy my opinion. If they pay me to review a keyboard and the spacebar gets stuck, I am going to tell you the spacebar gets stuck. If they have a problem with that, they can keep their money.
2. Free Products
Sometimes, companies send me "review units" or free software licenses in the hopes that I will talk about them.
Receiving a free product does not guarantee a positive review. It doesn't even guarantee a review at all. If a company sends me a piece of junk, I will either ignore it or I will make a post explaining exactly why it is junk.
If I am reviewing something I got for free, I will explicitly state: "This product was sent to me by [Brand] for review purposes."
3. My Own Money
Unless stated otherwise, assume that I bought everything I talk about with my own money.
I prefer it this way. When I spend my own cash on a laptop or a server, I feel the pain of that purchase. That makes me much more critical and much more honest about whether it was worth the price. I am a consumer first, a creator second.
4. No Hidden Agendas
I am not here to be an "Influencer." I am here to document my journey in static web development and life. My reputation is the only asset I have that matters.
If I start lying to you for a paycheck, this entire website becomes worthless. I am not going to let that happen.
Conclusion
If you see me recommending something, it's because I think it works. If you see me trashing something, it's because I think it's broken. It is really that simple.
Stay dark, and trust but verify.