TTB Speaks up on Social Media

After 9 long years of technological advancement in the internet age, TTB quietly released Industry Circular: 2022-2, updating its Industry Circular: 2013-01 on alcohol social media last week. As a longtime legal advisor on compliant alcohol marketing, I was very curious what direction TTB would go, since so much has changed in this space since 2013, when TTB had to explain to industry members that social media was not just a conversation among friends but was actually regulated advertising. In this post, I will remind readers what the old policy said, explain what has changed in the new policy, and point out what’s missing.

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Alcohol Trade Practices Update

I had the pleasure of being invited to speak on alcohol trade practices by Carrie Bonnington and Marc Sorini at the CLE International Beer Wine & Spirits Conference in Phoenix last week, which had some really great presentations on the industry. I shared the trade practices panel with Alva Mather and for anyone who missed it, here is a quick summary of the latest on trade practices:

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The Uniform Law Commission – Encouraging Consistent State by State Definitions, Protocols and Procedures

The Uniform Law Commission was founded in 1892 to formulate uniform and model laws for the States to consider adopting to ensure consistency in commerce, child custody rules, easement relocations, and accuracy of criminal records, among others, between the States. Over 300 model and uniform acts have been completed and presented to the various states as recommendations and best practices. As nationwide commerce grew so did the number of uniform and model acts. The ULC works by consensus among the members and observers.

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  1. The California Cash and Credit Laws: Moving to Mandatory Electronic Fund Transfers Between Wholesalers and Retailers on January 1, 2026 – Cash is no longer Legal Tender
  2. Passage of Title Based Sales – Is it Right for You?
  3. BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS BEWARE! THE DRUG TESTING REGIME STARTS ON JULY 1ST AND YOU MUST BE READY!
  4. Strategic Exit Planning: Positioning Your Alcohol Beverage Business for Successful Acquisition or Investment
  5. New California Alcohol Laws for 2024 – a Mixed Bag of Privileges, Punishments, Clarifications, and Politics
  6. TTB Speaks up on Social Media
  7. Alcohol Trade Practices Update
  8. President Biden just made a big cannabis announcement... what does it mean?
  9. The Uniform Law Commission – Encouraging Consistent State by State Definitions, Protocols and Procedures
  10. San Francisco to the Governor - Review the RBS Program and Delay Implementation. Problems must be Corrected.
  11. TTB and Consignment Sales – Is There a Disconnect Between Policy Development and Business Reality?
  12. RBS ADDENDUM – THE LATEST FROM THE ABC AS THE AGENCY PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ON THE CALIFORNIA ABC’S MANDATORY RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVER PROGRAM
  13. THE STATE OF TO-GO BOOZE IN CALIFORNIA
  14. BOOZE RULES SPECIAL EDITION – THE RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE PROGRAM FACTS AND REQUIREMENTS
  15. Competition in the Beverage Alcohol Industry Continues Under the Microscope – Part 3
  16. Competition in the Beverage Alcohol Industry Under the Microscope – Part 2
  17. Competition in the Beverage Alcohol Industry Now Under the Microscope
  18. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 5: Looking Ahead
  19. It’s Time for a Regulatory Check-Up: Privacy Policies for email marketing and websites
  20. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 4: Who’s responsible for ensuring legal drinking age?
  21. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 3: Follow the Money
  22. BOOZE RULES 2021 – NEW CONTAINER SIZES APPROVED FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: KEEPING TRACK OF THE TTB’S ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE CONTANER SIZES
  23. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 2: Collect sales tax from marketplaces or comply with alcohol guidance?
  24. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 1: Solicitation of sales by unlicensed third-party providers
  25. Federal Cannabis Legalization Fortune-Telling
  26. BOOZE RULES – THE DIRECT SHIPPING WARS
  27. California ABC provides additional Covid guidance on virtual events and charitable promotions
  28. Hot Topics for Alcohol Delivery 2020
  29. California Reopening Roadmap is Now a Blueprint for a Safer Economy
  30. The Hospitality Reopening Roadmap to Success
  31. Salads Not A Meal in California, Says ABC
  32. Delivery Personnel Beware – The ABC is Coming for You and for the Licensees Hiring You to Deliver Alcoholic Beverages - This Time Its Justified
  33. Licensees Beware – the Harsh New ABC Enforcement Rules Are Effective Right Now
  34. Part 2: LEGAL FAQS ON REOPENING CA RESTAURANTS, BREWPUBS, BARS AND TASTING ROOMS
  35. John Hinman’s May 22, 2020 interview with Wine Industry Advisor on the ABC COVID-19 Regulatory Relief initiatives and the ABC “emergency rule” proposals
  36. Booze Rules May 21 - The Latest on the ABC Emergency Rules
  37. Part 1: Legal FAQs on Reopening CA Restaurants, Brewpubs, Bars and Tasting Rooms
  38. The ABC’s Fourth Round of Regulatory Relief - Expanded License Footprints Through Temporary COVID-19 Catering Authorizations, and Expanded Privileges for Club Licensees
  39. BOOZE RULES – May 17, 2020 Special Edition
  40. ABC ENFORCEMENT - ALIVE, ACTIVE AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY
  41. Frequently Asked Questions about ABC’s Guidance on Virtual Wine Tastings
  42. ABC Keeps California Hospitality Industry Essential
  43. ABC REGULATORY RELIEF – ROUND TWO – WHAT IT MEANS
  44. Essential Businesses Corona Virus Signage Requirement Every Essential Business in San Francisco Must Post Sign by Friday, April 3rd
  45. Promotions Compliance: Balancing Risk and Reward
  46. The March 25, 2020 ABC Guidance: Enforcement Continues; Charitable Giving Remains Subject to ABC Rules; and More – What Does it all Mean?
  47. Restaurant and Bar Best Practices – Surviving Covid 19, Stay at Home and Shelter in Place Under the New ABC Waivers
  48. Economically Surviving the Covid Crisis and the Shelter in Place Orders: A Primer on Regulatory interpretations and Options
  49. Booze Rules – Hinman & Carmichael LLP and the Corona Virus
  50. Booze Rules: 2020 and the Decade to Come – Great Expectations (with apologies to Charles Dickens)
  51. The RBS Chronicles: If Your Business serves Alcoholic Beverages YOU NEED TO READ THIS AND TAKE ACTION!
  52. RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE ACT HEARING – OCTOBER 11TH IN SACRAMENTO – BE THERE!
  53. WHEN THE INVESTIGATOR COMES CALLING – BEST PRACTICES.
  54. RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE ACT PROPOSED ABC RULES 160 TO 173 – WHY THE RUSH?
  55. The TTB Crusade Against Small Producers and the “Consignment Sale” Business Model
  56. TTB Protocols, Procedures, and Investigations
  57. Wine in a 250 ML can – the Mystery of the TTB packaging Regulations and Solving the Problem by Amending the Regulations
  58. The Passing of John Manfreda of the TTB: a Tragedy for his family and a Tragedy for the Industry he so Faithfully Served for so Long.
  59. Pride in a Job Well-done, or Blood Money? The Cost of Learning the Truth from the TTB about the Benefits to Investigators from Making Cases Against Industry Members
  60. How ADA Website Compliance Works – The Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself, Your Website and Your Social Media from Liability
  61. Supplier and Distributor Promotional “Banks,” Third Party Promotion Companies and Inconsistent TTB Enforcement, Oh My!
  62. “A Wrong Without a Remedy – Not in My America” – The TTB Death Penalty for Not Reporting Deaths
  63. Is a 1935 Alcohol Beverage Federal Trade Practice Law Stifling Innovation?
  64. Decoding the BCC’s Guidance on Commercial Cannabis Activity.
  65. Prop 65 - Escaping a "Notice of Violation"
  66. TTB Consignment Sales Investigations - What is Behind the Curtain of the TTB Press Releases?
  67. Heads Up! The ABC Is Stepping Up Enforcement Against Licensees Located Near Universities
  68. Coming Soon: New Mandatory Training Requirements for over One Million “Alcohol Servers” In California – September 1, 2021 will be here quickly
  69. 2019 Legislative Changes for California Alcohol Producers – a Blessing or a Curse?
  70. A Picture (On Instagram) Is Worth A Thousand Words
  71. Playing by the Rules: California Cannabis Final Regulations Takeaways
  72. Hinman & Carmichael LLP Names Erin Kelleher Partner and Welcomes Gillian Garrett and Tsion “Sunshine” Lencho to the Firm
  73. Congress Makes History and Changes the CBD Game for Good
  74. Pernicious Practices (stuff we see that will get folks in trouble!) Today’s Rant – Bill & Hold
  75. CBD: An Exciting New Fall Schedule… or Not?
  76. MISSISSIPPI RISING - A VICTORY FOR LEGAL RETAILER TO CONSUMER SALES, AND PASSAGE OF TITLE UNDER THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE
  77. California ABC's Cannabis Advisory - Not Just for Stoners
  78. NEW CALIFORNIA WARNINGS FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND CANNABIS PRODUCTS TAKE EFFECT AUGUST 30, 2018, NOW INCLUDING ADDENDUM REGARDING 2014 CONSENT AGREEMENT PARTIES AND PARTICIPANTS
  79. National Conference of State Liquor Administrators – The Alcohol Industry gathers in Hawaii to figure out how to enforce the US “Highly Archaic Regulatory Scheme.”
  80. Founder John Hinman Honored with the Raphael House Community Impact Award
  81. ROUTE TO MARKET AND MARKETING RESTRICTIONS - NAVIGATING REGULATORY SYSTEM CONSTRAINTS
  82. Alcohol and Cannabis Ventures: Top 5 Legal Considerations
  83. ATF and TTB: Is Another Divorce on the Horizon? What’s Going on with the Agency?
  84. STRIKE 3 - YOU REALLY ARE OUT! THE ABC'S STRICT APPLICATION OF PENALTIES FOR SALES TO MINORS
  85. TTB Temporarily Fixes Problem with Fulfillment Warehouse Tax Credits - an “Alternate Procedure” for Paying Taxes & Reporting
  86. CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD ONE TOO MANY - THE FREE TRANSPORTATION DILEMMA
  87. The Renaissance of Federal Unfair Trade Practices - Current Issues and Strategies
  88. ‘Twas the week before New Year’s and the ABC is out in Force – Alerts for the Last Week of 2017, including the Limits on Free Rides
  89. Big Bottles, Caviar and a CA Wine Strong Silent Auction for the Holidays!
  90. The FDA and the Wine and Spirits Industry – Surprise inspections anyone?
  91. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: UPDATED REGULATORY AGENCY DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES AT A GLANCE
  92. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: REGULATORY AGENCY DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES AT A GLANCE
  93. Soon to come to your Local Supermarket– Instant Redeemable Coupons of the digital age!
  94. The License Piggyback Dilemma – If it Sounds Too Good to be True, it Probably is
  95. A timely message from our Florida colleagues on the tied house laws, the three-tier system and the need for reform
  96. ABC Declaratory Rulings – A Modest Proposal Whose Time has Come
  97. More on FDA Inspections - Breweries, Distilleries and Questions
  98. WHY THE FDA IS INSPECTING WINERIES
  99. Senate Bill 378—The Proposed Demise of Due Process for Alcohol Licensees
  100. ABC Enforcement - Trends and Predictions