Filed under: Community Building, Marketing & PR, Web 2.0, Internet
One of the more bizarre concepts to come down the Web 2.0 highway is PayPerPost.com, which links up advertisers and bloggers. Bloggers can earn money when they post about a product that an advertiser is paying to plug. The concept is interesting, but the execution and ethics are in major deficit mode. Advertisers can require that comments be positive for the blogger to get paid, and PayPerPost apparently encourages bloggers NOT to disclose that their post is sponsored. The firm recently garnered $3 million in funding, which apparently indicates that venture capitalists have no expectations of integrity by bloggers and few scruples of their own.
TechCrunch calls PayPerPost a “virus” and makes the apt comparison to payola in the music industry.
The troubling thing about PayPerPost (and some new copycat services) is that by suborning some bloggers, they cast a pall over everyone. Of course, it’s equally troubling that those readers who don’t start questioning blog posts will probably be oblivious to the fact that some of the posts they read will be bought and paid for. Either way, this isn’t a good thing for blogging and the overall credibility of the Internet. Certainly, blog comments, forum posts, product reviews, etc., are all called into question when some of them turn out to be bogus. I don’t think I’m ready for regulation yet, but certainly any responsible firm would endorse disclosure of conflicts of interest. Unfortunately, the operative word is “responsible” - this has the feel of a “quick buck” strategy for all concerned - advertiser, broker, and blogger.
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