Is It Ethical To Work the Flu Niche?

[bgmacaw]

With the potential of there being a major influenza pandemic there are going to be opportunists who work this niche. Do you think that it's ethical for Internet Marketers to work this kind of niche, yes, no, maybe?

As for me, I don't work medical niches since it might conflict with some of my own offline work with doctors and health care institutions. But, I'd still feel uncomfortable working this kind of niche.

[Tyrus Antas]

As long as you're not providing people with information that is somewhat harmful to them, don't see what the problem might be.

The survival arena is a very profitable but not that popular niche. Those guys already jumped two feet at the swine flu "opportunity".

Tyrus

[Dan C. Rinnert]

I think the "how" is a much more important issue than "whether" to do it.

And, "how" can be very subjective too, so you have to go with your own set of ethics.

For example, I have a site where I have a map showing where the confirmed and suspected cases have been. I've already had one person accuse me of fear-mongering.

I don't think that's the case at all. I think people need and want to know where the cases are. Plus, it shows people that anyone can be affected. Too often, people think these are things that happen to someone else or that they happen to people in the "third world" so it doesn't matter to them.

And, so people are lax about the issue. Now, it could very well be that the swine flu pans out and doesn't do much more damage than it already has. Or, it could get worse, even much worse, as we know from past flu pandemics. And, whether it becomes a pandemic or not may owe some care to how people deal with the situation. If people think it's no big deal, then catch the virus, and continue to go about their business with the attitude that it's no big deal, that could spread it further, because they won't be taking precautions such as limiting contact with other people to avoid spreading it. They may be lax about washing their hands, or sneeze in the open air instead of in a tissue or an elbow.

So, it's not a matter of spreading fear, but of spreading awareness. A lot of the spread of the virus could be stopped by exercising common sense. But, unfortunately, common sense seems often in short supply.

Anyway, that's my view on it. YMMV.

[Craig Fenton]

BGMACAW:

Hi there. Hope the weekend went well.

You bring up an interesting question and there are different ways people will use the word ethical. Some will tell you that if you promote any legal product and don't give false information you have every right to make as much money as you can.

The other side of the coin you may hear would be from those that don't drink or smoke and have seen the products hurt family members and friends. There is nothing illegal about the person that creates a marketing campaign for a tobacco company but what if it was so brilliant it was the reason one of your family members decided to smoke and later suffered for it?

The interesting thing about your post is you can make a case for either side and understand why the person has that point of view.

I'll stay impartial.

Have a fantastic week.

[cashmon]

It's ethical.

Weight loss pills for fat folks.
Phone tracking for parents worried about their kids.

Same concepts but more common, any true marketing is ethical as long as you are pushing a product that is supposed to provide a solution (if used properly)(and as TMG said in post #2)

[SamG79]

Originally Posted by bgmacaw

With the potential of there being a major influenza pandemic there are going to be opportunists who work this niche. Do you think that it's ethical for Internet Marketers to work this kind of niche, yes, no, maybe?

As for me, I don't work medical niches since it might conflict with some of my own offline work with doctors and health care institutions. But, I'd still feel uncomfortable working this kind of niche.

I totally think it's ethical. The whole idea of business is to find a market (supply and demand) and then exploit it. The flu will create a demand... so if you can find the "supply" then i would definitely say go for it!

[Bruce Wedding]

Of course its ethical if you are providing a solution to a problem.

Do you think a doctor asks if it's ethical to charge to treat a person with the flu?

[Shannon Tani]

I think the problem is that most of us are not doctors. So what you'd be selling if you created a product around this is information on how to tell if you have swine flu and what to do if you get it...

Which is basically "Go to the doctor if you develop flu-like symptoms".

In my opinion, while it may not be unethical to sell a product like this, it's not very cool.

Love,
Shannon

[LarryC]

I agree that it's fine to work any health niche as long as you are not giving out incorrect or misleading information. Of course, there is a lot of disagreement on many medical issues, such as pro vs. anti vaccine. One thing I would remember with any health issue is not to do anything that might be illegal as well as unethical, such as promising a cure for something.

[sbucciarel]

Depends on what you're offering. Offering some miracle cure for a medical problem with no real scientific backing to me is unethical. Anything that could make sick people get sicker by not getting proper treatment would be unethical to me.

[Dan C. Rinnert]

Originally Posted by Shannon Tani

I think the problem is that most of us are not doctors.

You could interview doctors, even co-write a product with a doctor.

So what you'd be selling if you created a product around this is information on how to tell if you have swine flu and what to do if you get it...

Which is basically "Go to the doctor if you develop flu-like symptoms".

In my opinion, while it may not be unethical to sell a product like this, it's not very cool.

But, that goes to the question of "how" and not "whether." I agree that it wouldn't be very helpful to sell a product that essentially tells people to see a doctor.

But, there are certainly products that could be developed, that would be helpful and would provide people with value that is worth paying for.

[Diana Lane]

I think it's ethical too, if you approach it the same way you would any other niche - you don't sound like the kind of person who makes money by terrifying people into buying products that have no effect or value whatsoever, so presumably they would benefit from their dealings with you in the 'flu niche as well.

I know what you mean though - I have similar struggles with debt and credit products. I hate the idea of profiting from other people's misery, particularly if there might be kids involved - scams aimed at struggling work-at-home-mums really press my 'outrage' button. You just have to be careful what you promote and be duly diligent in seeing that it's genuinely effective or informative.

[momo4444]

Along these lines... I seen a ad on Craigslist that was looking for people to market flu shots to city and state government. I guess the need to order in advance.

[Mynt]

I see it as perfectly ethical.

[Steven Fullman]

Hi, dude.

Personally, I don't care either way.

But, I will say this...

What's your market?

Victims, or petrified not-yet-victims?

What do you plan to sell them?

Pills, or info?

What info do you have that'll feed this market? Instant cure...or Guaranteed non-infection? Or Something else?

What makes you qualified to offer any of those solutions anyway?

Just a guess, but in times of a pandemic virus, I reckon most folks will visit their doctor. I'm not sure they'll be shuffling over to Clickbank/wherever.

But it might still be a great chance to portray yourself as a 'swine flu' expert.

Steve.

P.S. I only answered because of your almighy contribution to Steve Crook's adsense thread. You know your stuff, my friend.

[bgmacaw]

Originally Posted by Diana Lane

I know what you mean though - I have similar struggles with debt and credit products. I hate the idea of profiting from other people's misery, particularly if there might be kids involved - scams aimed at struggling work-at-home-mums really press my 'outrage' button. You just have to be careful what you promote and be duly diligent in seeing that it's genuinely effective or informative.

I try to do the same with my credit and debt niches. Unlike some of the niches I work, I write all this content myself and make sure that it's high quality, helpful, info.

The two reasons I'm kind of uncomfortable with medical condition or disease niches is that I think it's important for real medical sites to rank in the top 10 for them, so I don't want to compete with them in SEO, and I work with a lot of doctors offline and I wouldn't want them to think I was pedaling 'snake oil' on the side. I wouldn't have a problem working side niches like survival and such though.

[Niksanyl]

Ethical Schmethical. . . :-)

Niksanyl

[Sean Hoffman]

I just tried to purchase swineflucure.com... taken of course.

I'm guessing that it's going to spread and we are all going to die.

Unless god saves us.

[Valorie]

If all the people who think they have swine flu are headed to the doctor's office, is that really where you want to go? Or do you want to find a website full of information, find out how to avoid contact, and maybe buy some of those cloth surgical masks? Perhaps someone makes them with custom designs!

Personally, I am regretting ever reading The Stand, by Steven King. There has been an eerily similar official government response with this case.

[sevenish]

I don't see an issue with it, so long as you don't make ridiculous claims and have proper disclaimers and legal copy in place.

For me, I prefer to help people with products that do what they say and aren't deceptive.

There's good money to be made in honest, thoroughly-disclosed health niche products.

It's unethical only when a product is misrepresented, IMO.

[bgmacaw]

Originally Posted by Valorie

Personally, I am regretting ever reading The Stand, by Steven King. There has been an eerily similar official government response with this case.

I won't worry about it until I start dreaming about rats in the corn.

[derekwong28]

I am a doctor and I was actually a virologist who had intimate knowledge of SARS outbreak in 2003, and the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in 1997 in Hong Kong. My overall boss is Margaret Chan who is now the director general of the WHO.

I am hesitating right now whether to promote certain affiliate products or not. A lot of companies would like to push N95 face masks but that would probably be over the top. For a start, you need to have a N95 fit test first in order to select the appropriate mask.

Even if do promote certain affiliate products, I will not be using my main virology site for it.

Derek

[charlie9751]

Hi.

As long as you offer good advice and you stick to facts rather than speculation, I really cannot see a problem.