Earlier this month a number of prominent PR firms made headlines by coming together to sign a statement disavowing the unethical tactic of surreptitiously editing client’s Wikipedia pages to remove unflattering information. While the move is unlikely to completely stamp out the practice entirely, it’s a positive step for the industry as a whole.
A boy who cries wolf undermines trust in other messengers. (Photo credit unknown)
At Spin Sucks, Gini Dietrich gives a fuller picture of the different, and damaging, ways that the practice, called “sock puppeting” to invoke the use of fake anonymous accounts, is utilized. Anyone who has spent any amount of time perusing comments sections on any website knows the nastiness that anonymity can breed. To be sure, most professionals recognize that smear campaigns, even in the context of “going negative,” are amateurish and beneath the standards of a professional. But many might not realize that even subtle alterations and placements of pseudo-authentic content are just as suspect.
These behaviors are unseemly not just because they give off a foul odor. They fundamentally undermine the confidence and trust in the communications industry’s integrity and professionalism that is a foundational element of the industry’s effectiveness. As messengers, we must be trustworthy. Certainly, the well known tale of the “boy who cried wolf” is an applicable allegory.
No one trusts scientists who fib their data, and so too no one will trust an expert with a flexible attitude toward the truth. That is the mindset that is essential to keep. Some communications pros view their job as to gain attention through any means necessary, including “gaming the system” to produce favorable results, or at least the illusion of favorable results. This is a short sighted and narrow view.
The ideal of a communications pro as we, and like-minded others like Gini Deitrich, envision it is one of professionalism and integrity. Success comes from being an expert and able communicator and connector, with a savvy eye for helping reporters and the public understand your clients message and connect with stories. It’s heartening to see major players in the industry take a definitive stand in favor of this type of principled behavior. Here’s to hoping many more join the bandwagon.
