Fake News Sites... Are They Ethical

ASM Marketing · 07-17-2009, 05:40 AM

Hi WF,

I was browsing the web when a website sneakily bypassed my pop-up blocker and loaded up what looked to be a news website. Now, my experience told me that it was 90% going to be an ad, but then the product it was promoting confirmed this.

I was actually quite torn between my views of this. On one hand, I didn't like the fact that the owner was simulating a news website (which people usually trust without looking too deep into them, they just assume these guys are providing news). The comments are, in my opinion, almost certainly fake although I didn't bother to check.

On the contrary, I was impressed with this tactic because I felt it provided a trustworthy platform for which to redirect traffic to the chosen product. I'm sure a lot of money could be made from this landing page setup.

What are your views on this technique? Would you class this as 'grey hat'?

The URL: Breaking News: Google Now Hiring People To Work From Home

Alex

Damien Roche · 07-17-2009, 05:55 AM

Yeh, I do think it's a little shady. But I've seen this used many times in offline marketing. I think it's quite a novel idea.

marciayudkin · 07-17-2009, 06:26 AM

The test is whether or not there are false statements in the ad.

I question the statement that Google is now hiring anyone (just because Google sends you checks, you are not being "hired" by Google) and that Google is the origin of the "kit" being sold.

If those two statements are not true, then the entire ad is extremely deceptive.

If all the statements in the ad are true, then the format is fine.

Marcia Yudkin

SurviveUnemployment · 07-17-2009, 06:34 AM

No, it's not ethical. It's scammy BS that gives all IM a bad name. First of all, you should respect someone's popup blocker. Second, "faking" anything is unethical in business. If your product is good, it should stand on its own two feet.

07-17-2009, 05:40 AM	#1
ASM Marketing Full-Time War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 160 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 32 Thanked 41 Times in 25 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Fake News Sites... Are They Ethical Hi WF, I was browsing the web when a website sneakily bypassed my pop-up blocker and loaded up what looked to be a news website. Now, my experience told me that it was 90% going to be an ad, but then the product it was promoting confirmed this. I was actually quite torn between my views of this. On one hand, I didn't like the fact that the owner was simulating a news website (which people usually trust without looking too deep into them, they just assume these guys are providing news). The comments are, in my opinion, almost certainly fake although I didn't bother to check. On the contrary, I was impressed with this tactic because I felt it provided a trustworthy platform for which to redirect traffic to the chosen product. I'm sure a lot of money could be made from this landing page setup. What are your views on this technique? Would you class this as 'grey hat'? The URL: Breaking News: Google Now Hiring People To Work From Home Alex
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07-17-2009, 05:55 AM	#2
Damien Roche Lvl 1 Internet Marketer War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In Your Computer Posts: 571 Thanks: 43 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts Contact Info	Re: Fake News Sites... Are They Ethical Yeh, I do think it's a little shady. But I've seen this used many times in offline marketing. I think it's quite a novel idea.
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07-17-2009, 06:26 AM	#3
marciayudkin Marketing Mentor War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Western Massachusetts, USA. Posts: 423 Thanks: 22 Thanked 120 Times in 77 Posts Social Networking	Re: Fake News Sites... Are They Ethical The test is whether or not there are false statements in the ad. I question the statement that Google is now hiring anyone (just because Google sends you checks, you are not being "hired" by Google) and that Google is the origin of the "kit" being sold. If those two statements are not true, then the entire ad is extremely deceptive. If all the statements in the ad are true, then the format is fine. Marcia Yudkin
	Author, 6 Steps to Free Publicity: http://www.yudkin.com/6steps.htm Marketing Mentor: http://www.marketingformore.com New FTC Regulations: Attorney Decodes Their Implications for Marketers http://www.yudkin.com/ftc.htm

07-17-2009, 06:34 AM	#4
SurviveUnemployment Glad I Got Canned Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NY Posts: 509 Thanks: 260 Thanked 53 Times in 39 Posts Social Networking	Re: Fake News Sites... Are They Ethical No, it's not ethical. It's scammy BS that gives all IM a bad name. First of all, you should respect someone's popup blocker. Second, "faking" anything is unethical in business. If your product is good, it should stand on its own two feet.
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