I wanted to share my personal experience with using a pseudonym, so far. First of all, my written work is in the non-fiction genre, so why use a fictional name? At first I launched a podcast and was planning to talk about some personal trauma history. Using a pseudonym was my way of not drawing direct attention to people from my past that I might be telling stories about. Later, when I began writing books on the same topics, I wanted to have a cohesive flow back to the podcast content. So, I decided to use the pseudonym for the books and everything downstream from that (including my skool community). More importantly is what happened as a happy accident because of this choice. I was careful to select a pseudonym that was unique back then. The result is that if someone does a google search of my author name, a very cohesive and thorough response is returned (especially when using AI search engines). This has resulted in an online presence that is not distracted by my personal history, my other business presence or any other person with a similar name. The search yields results that include my book titles, book reviews and my social platforms that compliment the books. More importantly, it highlights my authority on the subject I write about (trauma healing and personal transformation) Just thought I would share this as it might help others to gain visibility.

Were you aware that you could face a fine of up to $51,744 for a paid review? - The Rule: The charge stems from the FTC's "Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials" (codified as 16 CFR Part 465). This rule, which was finalized in 2024, explicitly bans practices like writing, buying, selling, or disseminating fake reviews. - The Authority for Fines: This new rule gives the FTC the authority to seek civil penalties for violations. This authority is granted under Section 5 of the FTC Act. - The Fine Amount: The $51,744 is the maximum civil penalty the FTC can seek per violation. This specific amount is not permanent; it is adjusted annually for inflation, which is why it's such a precise number. The FTC may also take the position that each individual fake review constitutes a separate violation. The new FTC rule (16 CFR Part 465) prohibits fake reviews, which in turn allows the FTC to seek inflation-adjusted civil penalties under its existing authority from the FTC Act. The rule specifically prohibits several deceptive practices, including: - Buying or Selling Fake Reviews: This includes reviews from someone who does not exist (like an AI-generated review) or who has not actually used the product. - "Review Hijacking": Using or repurposing a review written for one product on a different product. - Insider Reviews: Company officers or managers writing reviews for their own products or services without clearly and conspicuously disclosing their relationship. - Review Suppression: Illegally suppressing negative reviews, such as by threatening the reviewer or misrepresenting that a site shows all reviews when it does not.