Valley PR Blog

Disingenuous, deceptive online content damages industry’s credibility

By Abbie Fink on October 4th, 2009 In Best Practices

Over the last few months, several news accounts have uncovered some unscrupulous promotional tactics.  These types of tactics—while not always illegal—certainly threaten the integrity of the entire PR industry.  While each tactic varies in method and medium, misrepresenting the nature of editorial content or intentionally failing to clearly reveal the source of message content is considered unethical by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).  Not to mention a career killer, in some instances.  

Recent reports have included:

• A high-tech public relations firm allegedly engaged its interns to write favorable reviews of computer games.
• A DC lobbying firm is said to have sent letters to political constituents engaging the unauthorized use of other organizations’ letterhead, giving the impression its messages were coming from those organizations.
• The Federal Trade Commission has issued proposed rules that would subject bloggers to personal liability for false advertising if they do not disclose the source of products and services they routinely receive for free to review. (“Blogola”) (PRSA submitted comments earlier this year on the proposed FTC rules.)
• A marketing firm set up a program by which clients could engage a stable of professional “twitterati” who allegedly would post favorable tweets about clients and their messages or products.
• In the current debate on national health care reform, special interests are setting up and/or funding organizations to promote their positions without disclosing who is behind those organizations.

Below are examples of additional tactics that have been used by communicators; unfortunately, these have the potential of destroying the credibility of the profession and the professional. 

 Deceptive Online Practices

Under the PRSA Code of Ethics, the source of editorial material must be clearly identified. Any attempts to mislead or deceive an uninformed audience are considered malpractice. The PRSA Code of Ethics calls for truth and transparency and full disclosure of the causes and interests represented. The goal should be responsible advocacy on behalf of clients, sustaining credibility with all audiences, and strengthening the public’s trust in the information they receive and the profession that provides that information. Deceptive practices produce unethical advocacy.

Front Groups

One frequently used vehicle that fosters misrepresentation and unethical advocacy is a third-party organization, known as a “front group,” established specifically to deceive or mislead an audience about the position presented and its source. Withholding or deceptively concealing sources or sponsors of information or their intentions or motivations fails to satisfy the principles of truth in advancing the interest of clients and of serving the public interest as responsible advocates.

Pay for Play

Providing payment to generate or influence editorial coverage, regardless of medium, is unethical and constitutes malpractice under the PRSA Code because such exchanges of value are hidden from the reader, viewer or listener. “Pay-for-Play” also runs counter to the Code’s warning to avoid any conflict of interest that impedes the trust of clients, employers or the public. Communicators should disclose any exchange of value so the reader, viewer or listener has the opportunity to make up their own minds about the value, bias, accuracy and usefulness of information provided by others.

 As professional communicators, our job is to protect and advance the free flow of accurate and truthful information and foster informed decision-making in a democratic society.  It’s important, now more than ever.  These techniques undermine that responsibility and should never be in the professional communicator’s arsenal.

For more information regarding PRSA’s efforts, please contact Linda Gorman, lgorman@arizona.aaa.com, PRSA Phoenix’s Advocacy Officer.

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