A class project, gone horribly wrong

I’m interested in blogging and social media primarily as tools for my  work, which is in public relations. These tools are 

potentially great ways to develop targeted relationships to help achieve strategic goals. As a public relations professional, I 

belong to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). This organization works to separate what I call “ethical PR” from 

all the two-bit hustlers out there who will do anything to get their messages to their destinations. I am also accredited in public relations (APR), which distinguishes public relations practitioners much as the CPA distinguishes some accountants. It’s a good start, but will only help when there’s a critical mass of professionals to create a norm of good practice in the field.

PRSA has a code of ethics which all bloggers should at least consider. In fact, most of the sins of the blogging world would go away if bloggers would follow this code. 

Here’s what happens when people who are not trained in PR teach students to use social media tools. In short, this class project used deception and failed to disclose its relationship with its client, Coach, maker of designer purses and other leather goods. These people – the teachers AND the students – should have known better.