Category Ethics
Legit Web sites team up with shady operators
The link below leads to an example of why we created the “Online Social Responsibility” fan page on Facebook. In the article it’s noted that Fandango, after paying a hefty fine due to its relationships with unscrupulous web loyalty programs, has instituted a number of safeguards within its site and has ended its relationships with those programs. Fandango said it is “pleased to play a leadership role…to promote responsible marketing practices for the e-commerce industry related to online membership programs.” eDebit Pay aka EDReporting, when busted by the Feds for “piggy-backing” paydays loans with its debit cards, started a “web ethics” site, and advertised itself as a ethcis leader.
These companies and these actions make it harder for the rest of us to make an honest living.
The pupose of the “Online Social Responsibility” fan page is to create an awareness that the web is an environment, and like the three dimensional world around us, it’s vulnerable to pollution, and other types of degradation. We want to create an association of companies that care about the future of the web. This is still a work in progress. Much needs to be defined and, in fact, we depend on your thoughts and opinions. We’d like it if you became a fan of “Online Social Reponsibility”.
The article, Legit Web sites team up with shady operators
Posted by eBrand Media Research Department in Ethics, eBrand Media on February 4th, 2010
The eBrand Media “Online Social Responsibility” Facebook fan page
eBrand Media endorses Online Social Responsibility for the purpose of creating an awareness that the web is an environment, and like the three dimensional world around us, its vulnerable to pollution, and other types of degradation. Therefore Online Social Responsibility not only applies to interactions between marketers, companies and users of the web, along with our relationships with one another on Social Networks, but also to the interaction between the eyes, mind, feelings, and thoughts. eBrand Media will always support freedom passionately but we’re ardently against immoral means of manipulation meant to cause an action that an end- user will later regret.
Online Social Responsibility is about connecting with individuals, companies and organizations who abide by the principles of transparency, honesty, and fair play. Our code of ethics and our beliefs are the conscience, heart, and backbone of eBrand Media. Companies who affirm Online Social Responsibility live by the core values listed on the next page. Do you?
Posted by eBrand Media Public Relations Department in Ethics, Social Media, eBrand Media on February 1st, 2010
Microsoft sues over malicious online ads
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
This article, written by, Ina Fried, discusses lawsuits filed by Microsoft against companies that are downloading scareware and spyware through ads running on their network. This is a growing problem as premium publishers turn to networks and advertisers of dubious quality because Tier 1 advertisers are buying less of their display inventory. It may be time for publishers like MSN, and The New York Times, to create a set of criteria, (a code of ethics, if you will), that an advertiser or network must meet in order to run ads on their networks.
The damage to their brands is greater than the money earned, and the quotas met, by selling inventory to anyone.
You’ll find the full article here.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Advertising, Ethics on September 18th, 2009
eBrand Media Research: Morally gray marketers and the hideous advertising pollution they create!
Continuity programs have been around for years. Videoactivereport.com defines continuity programs this way: “An infomercial/DRTV product purchasing program that encourages consumers to purchase the first in a series of products, often for a lower-than-normal price, then continue purchasing the entire series for a higher price. Extensively used for music and book series. Concept also employed successfully for beauty, diet and self-development products.”
Given the limited, vanilla, definition; they apparently don’t want to step on any toes.
We discussed one of the most reprehensible continuity programs on the internet, and other types of continuity programs, in an article written on May, 22nd, 2008.
Most continuity programs use the “make sick, make well” marketing approach. They identify a mass audience pain points; wrinkles, yellow teeth, weight, debt, or a need for money and the ability to make transactions with a debit/credit card, and run campaigns that bring the pain, real or imagined from the background to the foreground of the consciousness. Pharmaceutical companies are real experts at making large segments of our society sick; with messaging like this: “Are you feeling depressed, lethargic, or irritable? Then you may be suffering from…”
Posted by eBrand Media Research Department in Ethics, Marketing on September 14th, 2009
Not a shocker, folks: Facebook is forever
By Bob Sullivan, The Red Tape Chroicles
I know a computer science professor who runs the same Facebook experiment every semester. He invites his students to stand up in front of the room and show everyone their Facebook page on the big screen. No one has ever taken him up on the offer.
Why? They’re embarrassed, of course.
Moments later, the irony sinks in. Every one of them seems happy to share all those funny photographs, witty Wall postings and status updates with everyone on the planet. They just don’t want to do it in public, in person.
Facebook puts a lot of people in a lot of twisted situations, including those who try to rationalize their use of the site (Want to be safer on Facebook? There are tips below).
Studies show that about two-thirds of Americans say they care a great deal about their privacy, yet fewer than 10 percent ever do anything about it, such as destroy a store loyalty card or browse the Web with an anonymizing tool.
So it is with Facebook. This week, a dust-up — no, a tornado — hit the service when users found out about a subtle change to Facebook’s terms of service. A blogger at the Consumerist Web site posted the change, noting that Facebook now asserts the right to “copy, publish, store, retain,” anything you contribute, and that the firm’s rights to your material survive “any termination of your use of the Facebook Service.”
In other words, whatever you put on Facebook cannot be deleted. Even closing your account, removing all your pictures, and “de-friending” your friends doesn’t get your data back from the Facebook.
Everyone seems shocked by the idea that Facebook is forever, but that’s nothing new. In fact, I believe Facebook deserves some kudos for finally fessing up and including this concept in its terms of service. I’m thrilled that people are now discussing this issue.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Ethics, Facebook, Opinions on February 20th, 2009