Indeed. It's a good day for common sense. Usually when laws are applied to the internet, everything flies out the windows. "Oh it's on a computer? Well that's different!"

It's nice to see false advertising on a public site treated the same way false advertising in a magazine would.

If astroturfing is false advertising, does this case mean that any review of a product is also advertising? If I post a positive review of, say, cigarettes and I don't comply with various regulations does that now open me up to having my house seized and being thrown in jail?

A company giving positive reviews as non-existent customers on consumer products for money is fraud. I worked as a reviewer and I worked hard to be honest and genuine, this kind of BS that goes on on amazon.com and places is insulting to all reviewers because generally you work very hard and don't get nearly enough pay.

Oh BTW your house is at risk with virtually any company you start until you get limited liability, so I don't really get what point you're trying to make. Almost anyone can start an ULC for the very reason that if you fail and get hugely in debt (like a large amount of companies do) then the bank still gets its money. You either need to have the money to cover your expenses up front, or you risk losing your home.

My father has run a business all his life, but all the important stuff was always in my mothers name and never joint so if he ever had a problem the house and cars weren't going to disappear without a major fight.