I’m slated to speak on a panel on how blogging can get you sued, (or fired) at Inman Connect this summer. I’ve been exploring topics related this week and studying up on RESPA, Copyright Infringement, and even the NAR Code of Ethics.
One business practice worth looking at in this regard is the act of hiring a ghost blogger. Specifically, to hire someone else to write complete blog posts for you, then publish them on you blog under your own name. This is a fairly common practice in the publishing world, and amung big name CEO’s. But these folks aren’t bound by the NAR Code of Ethics.
In reading the first sentence of article 12, I think this practice could be considered a breach.
REALTORS® shall be honest and truthful in their real estate communications and shall present a true picture in their advertising, marketing, and other representations.
Representing yourself as an expert by taking credit for advice that you simply did not create on your own is not honest in my book. I think it would be different, and completely acceptable if you credited the ghost post to a “staff writer”, or something similar. But signing you name to that work is a different story.
What do you think?