False and Misleading Advertising Online - Steering, Buzz Marketing and Dishonesty

By Lance Winslow

It sure seems dishonorable and disingenuous for online marketers to use a fake name to steer Internet Surfers to a website to buy something while using a fake name. Some justify their deception by stating that it is a "pen name" but is that really sufficient, as it is still a fake name and trickery tactics that are being deployed?

It seems especially problematic when that Internet Surfer or potential buyer believes they are going there based on information that a real person gave them, such as an article on a blog or one that appeared in an ezine or online newsletter. Further, it stands to reason that the consumer has the right to know the writer's association with the site that they send them to.

Of course, few would deny that the consumer has a right to know that the writer has a vested interest in where you are sending them and should feel confident that it is an actual real person giving them the information. It is false a misleading advertising to use a fake name to sell someone something.

It may not be against the "letter of law" yet, to send someone to an AdSense site, using a false identity, as it's still a gray area, one "I" personally find appalling. We need more integrity on the Internet, and we need to restore order to this issue.

Did you know that the SEC does not allow licensed broker dealers, stock brokers, etc. to use something that someone else wrote and claim that they wrote it, putting their name on it? This is one attempt to clean up dishonesty in informational marketing. It's a start.

Regarding another specific point; there are Buzz Marketing Laws and yes, some very high profile cases and in those cases the FTC won them. The consumer has a right to know if someone is promoting something and are being paid, bribed with free products or have a vested financial interest in "Buzzing" a product, procedure, service or any number of other things. This issue came up with bloggers received free products for talking up consumer products on blogs.

Personally, regardless of what the "letter of the law" states, it's still unethical in my book to engage in deceitful or deceptive marketing. If you are selling anything on the Internet and promoting it through PR, publicity, blogs, ebooks or by writing articles; the consumer has a right to know.

If you deny the consumer that right, some might call you a less than ethical person. Thus, I am glad not to be in anyway associated with anyone who would conduct themselves in that fashion. Still, it's important that you understand these things and stay out of trouble and out of the gray area of law.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.