CALL TO ACTION: Big Pyramid's Annual Lobby-Fest Coming Up Quick
The Direct Selling Association's Legal and Regulatory Seminar
Friends and Fellow Consumer Advocates,
As you may (not) have heard, the Direct Selling Association's Legal and Regulatory Seminar (A.K.A. the ‘DSA Day on The Hill’) is quickly approaching. Lobbyists for Multilevel Marketing Companies—or, more specifically MLM companies who continue to pay the DSA’s extortive dues—will be descending upon Capitol Hill for three days, beginning September 20th, 2023.
This event serves as an opportunity for the DSA to lobby elected officials and promote the interests of multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. As advocates and activists focused on ethical changes to MLM, we must take this opportunity to voice our concerns and share our personal experiences to counteract their efforts to sugarcoat the realities of the industry.
Multi-level marketing companies often prey on vulnerable individuals with deceptive promises of financial freedom and success. The reality is a vast majority of people who join these schemes lose money, and their personal and professional relationships are often damaged due to the encouraged, aggressive recruitment tactics.
Now is the time to reach out to your elected representatives and make your voice heard. Here's what you can do:
Write a letter or email to your elected officials*, sharing your concerns about MLMs and any personal experiences you've had with these predatory business models. Be specific about how MLMs have negatively impacted your life or the lives of those around you.
Share your story on social media* using the hashtags #AntiMLM, #DirectSellingDay, #DSD2023, and #ThisIsMyStory. (Friend and tireless consumer activist Julie Anderson let me know that DSA Canada is encouraging MLM representatives to share their “positive” experiences on social media using these last two on September 20th—can we drown them out?) Encourage others who have been affected by MLMs to do the same. The more stories we share, the more likely we are to be heard by our representatives and the general public.
Research the voting records and stances of your elected officials on MLMs and consumer protection. If they have supported legislation that benefits MLMs in the past, consider reaching out and respectfully asking them to reconsider their position in light of the countless stories of financial ruin and emotional distress caused by these companies.
Connect with other anti-MLM advocates in your community or online and organize a group letter-writing campaign. There is strength in numbers, and a united front will make our message even more powerful.
Encourage friends, family, and community members to join the fight against MLMs. Educate them about the dangers of these schemes and help them recognize the red flags. 🚩
*Social Media:
Back in March, you might recall me sending around a survey with questions on it about the effectiveness of Social Media in influencing and deconstructing generational beliefs about Multilevel Marketing. Based on over 1100 responses, we at MLMChange.org were able to gauge which Social Media platforms this message might be most effective on, if that is your chosen method of spreading the word:
*Elected Officials:
If you don’t have a personal story to share to your Federal, State, or Local representative, consider writing to a member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, or any of the Congress members who will be voting on their proposed amendments to the FTC’s appropriations soon, objecting to their recent push to withhold funding to the Federal Trade Commission when that funding would be used specifically “to finalize or enforce the ‘Trade Regulation on the Use of Earnings Claims’ or the ‘Review of the Business Opportunity Rule’ rulemakings without a clear statement of need or unless overlapping rulemaking and improvements in self-regulation and consumer protection of industries that would be impacted is considered.”
This is nothing more than a delay/disrupt tactic being employed by politicians—likely some of the politicians who will be canoodling with DSA lobbyists next month. The bill has not gone to the full House for a vote yet, and progress on that can be tracked here.
It is my strong belief that by speaking up and sharing our experiences, by connecting with the folks in Congress who represent us, we can help to counteract the lobbying efforts of the DSA and protect potential victims from falling into the MLM trap. Let's make sure that our elected officials understand the true nature of MLMs and the harm they cause to individuals, families, and communities. The time to act is now.
Sincerely,
Michelle Carpenter