As we’ve seen in Comm101, ethics matter. While this can be demonstrated through some obvious factors such as safety, I think there is a more subtle factor that can be discussed—–honesty.
The importance of honesty is often neglected in the realm of business, where the basis of its functionality is, quite simply, to attract as many people to buy as much as your stuff as possible.
I think the sense of ‘unethicalness’ ultimately stems from a feeling of lack of choice, a sense of being mislead into a situation in which you did not willfully intend. In the case of Active Periodicals, Inc., monthly magazine subscriptions were charged from participants of so-called free ‘surveys’ that were marketed as having $1000 rewards. I think the essential problem here is not monthly fees that followed, but rather the deception of the result of participation. If the participants knew of the aftermath, they would have simply CHOSEN to not participate. However, this choice did not take place since no such freedom was given.
As a result, the contrast between what was expected and actuality evolved into revolt and anger. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with promoting products to get as much attention as possible; as long as it is “engaged in open and free competition without deception or fraud” (Friedman).
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