Is It Ethical To Work the Flu Niche?

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.

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

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.

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.

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