Faking it online to become illegal in the UK

Pretending to be a customer or supporter of a brand or cause online is generally shunned for two reasons.   One is that it usually doesn't work.  When someone online advocating a position is making arguments that lack substance, their mere presence isn't sufficient to change public opinion.  The second reason not to do it is because when you get caught, the blowback compounds your original problem.

As of the end of May there will be yet another reason to avoid faking support online: it will be illegal, at least in the UK.

As of May 26th, 2008 the UK's "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations" will cover buzz marketing and social network advertising. The ad industry trade group, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is warning its members not to cross the line in paying bloggers for positive coverage without identifying them as financially compensated. 

This and other techniques where individuals masquerade as uncompensated consumers online despite being paid shills will not just be bad practice, but will become illegal at the end of May.

For more information on the new regulations in the UK, see this AdAge article.