4 ms·

Ask HN: Ethics question

10 points by ig1 16y ago

Earlier this week I wrote an article about Facebook ads and how I've got them to work quite effectively, the article got a lot of coverage (a few hundred thousand readers). It also got the attention of Facebook, who've asked if they can do a case-study on my startup. Obviously it would be great for my startup if they wrote up a case study on it. But on the other hand I'm not sure I can ethically accept any benefits from Facebook without it creating a conflict of interests (as my article was obviously very pro-Facebook Ads), and accepting any kind of benefit from FB would obviously bring the veracity of my article into account. Does anyone have any opinions ?

dhimes 16y ago
Since you wrote the article before they offered to do a case study, it seems that the veracity of the article wouldn't be in question. And I'm not sure about conflict of interest-- it seems your interests are aligned. Now if you were claiming to be a reviewing many/all web platforms and accepted help from FB, that would be a different story. Disclaimer: I didn't read your article.
- JoachimSchipper 16y ago
  Fully agree, but do disclose this. It's not really necessary, but if people find out later any inconvenient facts like the timeline are likely to drown in mob rage.
chris_j 16y ago
I'm assuming that this is the article you're talking about: http://blog.imranghory.org/facebook-ads-the-cheapest-traffic-youll-ever http://blog.imranghory.org/facebook-ads-the-cheapest-traffic... Sounds like you have to decide which is more important to you: your startup or the veracity of your article. Facebook doing a case study on your startup could be great. If you're worried that it will look like your article was written dishonestly then you could always withdraw the article or give it a big fat disclaimer.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
folkster 16y ago
This is how Warren Buffet handles it: (from his memo to managers) “The priority is that all of us continue to zealously guard Berkshire’s reputation. We can’t be perfect but we can try to be. As I’ve said in these memos for more than 25 years: We can afford to lose money – even a lot of money. But we can’t afford to lose reputation – even a shred of reputation.” We must continue to measure every act against not only what is legal but also what we would be happy to have written about on the front page of a national newspaper in an article written by an unfriendly but intelligent reporter. Sometimes your associates will say ‘Everybody else is doing it.’ This rationale is almost always a bad one if it is the main justification for a business action. It is totally unacceptable when evaluating a moral decision. Whenever somebody offers that phrase as a rationale, in effect they are saying that they can’t come up with a good reason. If anyone gives this explanation, tell them to try using it with a reporter or a judge and see how far it gets them…. Somebody is doing something today at Berkshire that you and I would be unhappy about if we knew of it. That’s inevitable: We now employ more than 250,000 people and the chances of that number getting through the day without any bad behavior occurring is nil. But we can have a huge effect in minimizing such activities by jumping on anything immediately when there is the slightest odor of impropriety. Your attitude on such matters, expressed by behavior as well as words, will be the most important factor in how the culture of your business develops. Culture, more than rule books, determines how an organization behaves.
ianterrell 16y ago
The Warren Buffet quote is wonderful, but there's no issue here. Add an update to your article saying, "After publication, Facebook saw my results and wanted to do a case-study on my startup. Here it is: link."
notahacker 16y ago
By "benefits from Facebook" I take it you mean a bit of publicity and something to prove your targeted-traffic generating acumen to your advertisers, rather than massive amounts of free impressions. If it's the former, I can't see any conflicts at all (in all honesty even if you were the one enquiring about their interest in a case study, which you weren't). The original article reads as a fact-based statement of the value to you of a solution you pay for; it's not at all equivalent to randomly shilling a service you don't use for the reciprocal linkjuice or badmouthing their competitors. I would be interested in seeing the case study.
staunch 16y ago
Patio11 participated in a case-study for Google AdWords. I still trust him to be honest. Disclosing it upfront on related posts would probably be more than sufficient.
gyardley 16y ago
Add a paragraph at the end of your article, describing how Facebook contacted you for the case study only after the article's publication. Then take the publicity and run with it.
abbasmehdi 16y ago
Yea, I'm lost why you're worried. FB is going to do a case study and use your article for its own purposes, which are to learn from it on how to coach their advertisers and to try and get in your shoes to improve their platform. As far as you're concerned, this study will be seen as validation of your success as an advertiser to your customers, partners and investors. Your job was not to investigate FB, it was to advertise, anybody who made a gang of money there would naturally be praising them, you just kicked everybody's butt and that's why you were chosen for the case study. Think of it like this: a surgeon so smart that God consults with him before creating the next iteration of the human being. It is instant elevation that sets you apart from on your competitors, and those disclaimers mentioned below - you should be bragging instead. Congrats champ!

10 points by ig1 16y ago

dhimes 16y ago

Since you wrote the article before they offered to do a case study, it seems that the veracity of the article wouldn't be in question. And I'm not sure about conflict of interest-- it seems your interests are aligned. Now if you were claiming to be a reviewing many/all web platforms and accepted help from FB, that would be a different story. Disclaimer: I didn't read your article.

JoachimSchipper 16y ago
Fully agree, but do disclose this. It's not really necessary, but if people find out later any inconvenient facts like the timeline are likely to drown in mob rage.

chris_j 16y ago

I'm assuming that this is the article you're talking about: http://blog.imranghory.org/facebook-ads-the-cheapest-traffic-youll-ever http://blog.imranghory.org/facebook-ads-the-cheapest-traffic... Sounds like you have to decide which is more important to you: your startup or the veracity of your article. Facebook doing a case study on your startup could be great. If you're worried that it will look like your article was written dishonestly then you could always withdraw the article or give it a big fat disclaimer.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

folkster 16y ago

This is how Warren Buffet handles it: (from his memo to managers) “The priority is that all of us continue to zealously guard Berkshire’s reputation. We can’t be perfect but we can try to be. As I’ve said in these memos for more than 25 years: We can afford to lose money – even a lot of money. But we can’t afford to lose reputation – even a shred of reputation.” We must continue to measure every act against not only what is legal but also what we would be happy to have written about on the front page of a national newspaper in an article written by an unfriendly but intelligent reporter. Sometimes your associates will say ‘Everybody else is doing it.’ This rationale is almost always a bad one if it is the main justification for a business action. It is totally unacceptable when evaluating a moral decision. Whenever somebody offers that phrase as a rationale, in effect they are saying that they can’t come up with a good reason. If anyone gives this explanation, tell them to try using it with a reporter or a judge and see how far it gets them…. Somebody is doing something today at Berkshire that you and I would be unhappy about if we knew of it. That’s inevitable: We now employ more than 250,000 people and the chances of that number getting through the day without any bad behavior occurring is nil. But we can have a huge effect in minimizing such activities by jumping on anything immediately when there is the slightest odor of impropriety. Your attitude on such matters, expressed by behavior as well as words, will be the most important factor in how the culture of your business develops. Culture, more than rule books, determines how an organization behaves.

ianterrell 16y ago

The Warren Buffet quote is wonderful, but there's no issue here. Add an update to your article saying, "After publication, Facebook saw my results and wanted to do a case-study on my startup. Here it is: link."

notahacker 16y ago

By "benefits from Facebook" I take it you mean a bit of publicity and something to prove your targeted-traffic generating acumen to your advertisers, rather than massive amounts of free impressions. If it's the former, I can't see any conflicts at all (in all honesty even if you were the one enquiring about their interest in a case study, which you weren't). The original article reads as a fact-based statement of the value to you of a solution you pay for; it's not at all equivalent to randomly shilling a service you don't use for the reciprocal linkjuice or badmouthing their competitors. I would be interested in seeing the case study.

staunch 16y ago

Patio11 participated in a case-study for Google AdWords. I still trust him to be honest. Disclosing it upfront on related posts would probably be more than sufficient.

gyardley 16y ago

Add a paragraph at the end of your article, describing how Facebook contacted you for the case study only after the article's publication. Then take the publicity and run with it.

abbasmehdi 16y ago

Yea, I'm lost why you're worried. FB is going to do a case study and use your article for its own purposes, which are to learn from it on how to coach their advertisers and to try and get in your shoes to improve their platform. As far as you're concerned, this study will be seen as validation of your success as an advertiser to your customers, partners and investors. Your job was not to investigate FB, it was to advertise, anybody who made a gang of money there would naturally be praising them, you just kicked everybody's butt and that's why you were chosen for the case study. Think of it like this: a surgeon so smart that God consults with him before creating the next iteration of the human being. It is instant elevation that sets you apart from on your competitors, and those disclaimers mentioned below - you should be bragging instead. Congrats champ!