In addition to Google's informal corporate motto, "Don't Be Evil," "Don't be Stupid" is also the lesson here, as TechCrunch and others are reporting that Facebook hired PR agency Burson-Marsteller to get the media to run negative stories about rival Google. Apparently Facebook was concerned that Google was violating some privacy rules and was also making use of Facebook data for its own social networking service.
Unfortunately for Burson-Marsteller, when blogger Chris Soghoian was pitched, he asked who was paying B-M. When he didn't get an answer, he published the email exchange. The media proceeded to throw Burson under the bus, and after Facebook admitted to hiring the agency, Burson-Marsteller was forced to come clean.
While PRSA and other PR spokespersons were busy providing well-worn quotes about PR ethics, this is also about ham-handed tactics that were bound to backfire. The media isn't sworn to secrecy,despite what the movies and TV tell you. And bloggers, particularly those who deal in controversy and social activism, are, by nature, an unpredictable lot. When it comes right down to it, the project was pretty shady. If the client asks you to do something like this, no matter how big the payday, just say no. And look for a better client.
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