On Facebook, we find it deceiving when someone uses a picture from ten years ago, making him or her appear younger and more attractive than they actually are. On Twitter, we feel cheated when we find out that our favorite celebrity is not actually updating their page, but rather having their publicist write all the updates instead. While reading blogs and customer reviews for products and services, consumers find themselves questioning the validity of the comments. As businesses increasingly turn to these social media networks, they should consider the ethical and moral obligations that follow.
Just like any other user of a network, a company has the moral obligation to be who it claims to be. Internet users are savvier than you might think, and are able to identify when a persona is forged and when comments are well-crafted. Just as well, posing as someone else can do great damage to the business’s credibility. It will not matter how the organization acts offline if they lose the public’s trust online.
Katherine Reynolds Lewis, in an article for Parade Magazine, found that companies spend an enormous sum on word-of-mouth advertising, including activities on social media networks and blogs. “Companies pay about 1.6 billion to generate ‘buzz’ online,” said Katherine.
This is a lot of money to be spent on social media. Considering that memberships on most social networks are free, we have to consider what the money delegated to buzz marketing is really being spent on.
Using social media networks and websites to gain attention and support is a smart, sometimes necessary move for a business. There are many benefits – creating personal relationships with consumers and sharing information with the public. But companies should always be honest. If an organization receives positive reviews from a third party, they should be shared! Even negative comments should be shared, as it strengthens the organization’s integrity and provides an opportunity to address unfavorable remarks. Companies should never provide incentives to people to write good things about their company, as it will hurt the company’s reputation in the long run.
Unfortunately, as opportunities to reach customers increase, so do the opportunities to deceive them. Consumers should exercise caution and vigilance when viewing material online. They should scrutinize the credibility of statements and explore where the information really came from. Businesses should be confident as they become involved in these online networks, as doing so is not considered unethical. However, they need to remember to produce honest, truthful material and avoid engaging in unethical practices, no matter how tempting they seem.
