DSSRC Administrative Closure #136

The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding a Facebook post disseminated by a Company salesforce member that was located overseas. The social media post came to DSSRC’s attention pursuant to its independent monitoring of advertising in the direct selling marketplace. More specifically, the post included express claims that the Company’s products and/or the ingredients contained in the products are efficacious to treat the symptoms of a number of serious health-related conditions including anemia and breast, colon and lung cancer. The post was accompanied by several health-related hashtags that referenced blood pressure, asthma and cancer.

Despite the fact that the Facebook post originated in Asia, the Company, shortly after the Company was made aware of DSSRC’s concerns, it was able to contact the salesforce members responsible for the post and have it removed by virtue of coordinating its enforcement efforts with its overseas compliance division. Accordingly, DSSRC administratively closed the inquiry pursuant to the DSSRC Policy & Procedures based upon the prompt actions taken by the Company to disable the Facebook post.

(closed on 02/09/21)