Ethical issues and Social Media
How do existing codes of ethics apply to Social Media?
PRSA IABC SPJ
Is this ethical? Acme Industries, Inc., identifies a key
influencer in the online tech community who frequently blogs on new cell phone technology. People listen to him, big time. He is willing to post support for Acme’s new products for payment, but does not want his affiliation identified.
-Council of Public Relations
Social Media Ethics Word of Mouth Marketing
Association (WOMMA)
“Consumers have a right to know the sponsor behind advertising messages that could influence their purchasing decisions, but key information is not always adequately disclosed in a social media context.”
FTC Disclosure
Social Media Ethics
WOMMA Honesty of relationship,
opinion, and identity
Ghost Tweeters
Customer reviews
“Viral comm” Fake chat room
members
Org gen video that mimics user video
Transparency Disclosure
Social Media Ethics Wal-Mart FLOG
Wal-Mart paid for the flight, the RV, the gas, and the blog entries.
Working Families for Wal-Mart via Edelman
Astroturfing
PRSA Professional Standards advisory
All I Want For Xmas is a PSP
Agency hired by Sony created a blog to “share the luv” for PSP
BUSTED We (sorta)
apologize
All I Want for Xmas is a PSP, supposedly established as an effort by two friends--Charlie and Jeremy--to get Jeremy's parents to buy him a PlayStation Portable for Christmas.
The site included PSP-centric greeting cards, T-shirt iron-on patterns to print out, YouTube videos featuring songs about the system, and an abundance of Internet and street slang, some of it improperly used.