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.