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Pen Names
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Many members use pen or pseudo names (we call them “Alternate Authors” or “Alt-Authors” for short).
Without getting into a debate about whether it’s right or wrong to use a pen-name; Our position is that we give LESS credibility to articles under pen-names vs. real human names that we can determine.
Reasons why articles under pen-names are treated as 2nd class:
- The majority of thin & crappy article vomit submissions come from members who are clearly using a pen-name.
- Undesirable or high risk content topics (Casino/Poker/P Enlargement/Get Rich Quick/Name brand mentioners) are almost always under pen-names.
- There is a lack of accountability that comes from hiding behind a pen name.
- Often times pen names are rejected because they include related descriptors to the content topic that a person writes about. Ex: Star wars movie writer’s pen name “Jedi Walker.”
- Pen-name submitted content is often ghost written. Yes, it’s that easy to tell.
Ghost written articles are almost always 2nd classSometimes people hire bad ghostwriters and it shows through in their content vs. original content written by a true genuine expert author (our ideal member profile.)
One of our QC team members (Kolin) said he does give more account weight when the real human author name owns the account vs. when an account is clearly owned by a pen name. If you want to build more credibility with us, use your REAL HUMAN NAME for your primary author name, even if you don’t publish articles under that name.
Yes, we do respect your right to use pen-names to protect your privacy. Know that your need for privacy or to not be accountable publicly may have a credibility or trust price tag… BUT, if you write outstanding high quality unique and original content, you have nothing to worry about.
Lastly, yes I know there are all kinds of examples of good people using pen names in non-evil ways. Unfortunately, they pay some of the trust or credibility price for the greater majority who use pen names to scam the system with thin content.
 Posted by Christopher M. Knight on October 3, 2008 at 10:12 am | 2,423 views |
104 Comments »
It is fraudulent to use a fake name to steer someone to a website to buy something, especially when that buyer believes they are going there based on information that a real person gave them.
Further, the consumer has the right to know your association with the site that you send them to. The consumer has a right to know that you have a vested interest in where you are sending them.
It is false a misleading advertising to use a fake name to sell someone something.
It may not be against the law to send someone to an Adsense site, but it’s still a gray area, one “I” find appalling.
The SEC does not allow licensed broker dealers, stock brokers, etc. to use something that someone else wrote and claim that they wrote it, putting their name on it.
Regarding my other points, there are Buzz Marketing Laws and yes, high profile cases and in those cases the FTC won them. The consumer has a right to know if you are promoting something and are being paid, bribed with free products or have a vested financial interest in “Buzzing” a product, procedure, service or any number of other things.
Personally, regardless of what the “letter of the law” states, it’s still unethical in my book. If you are selling anything on the Internet and promoting it through PR, publicity or online article writing, the consumer has a right to know. If you deny the consumer that right, you are not a very ethical person. Thus, I am glad not to be in anyway associated with anyone who would conduct themselves in that fashion. YUK, it takes all kinds.
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You said: “As for Michy operating under the name of a corporation, good luck if you ever go to court with that one. People who operate under a corporate name as their own name have pierced the veil by doing so and therefore would have no protection.”
Huh?
I had an attorney review this course of action. It was done to legally be able to cash checks without having to give my legal last name to folks online.. I’m totally upfront about it with everyone, and when I file taxes, it’s done under the EIN for that business and business name.
I’m not the only fiction author I know who has done this
What’s the problem you have with it?
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It is only illegal to make fraudulent claims about a product. In the United States you can call yourself by any name as long as you don’t do it to defraud someone. There have been some high profile cases about this that went to the supreme court.
For instance, if I say I am John Doe and I like this hair re-growth product and think it’s great! I haven’t commited a crime.
However, if I say I am john doe and this hair re-growth product re grew my hair (and it didn’t) that is fraud. It isn’t fraud to use a different name unless by using that name you convince someone to spend money that they wouldn’t have spent if they knew your real name.
I worked with one of the largest law firms in the Northeast of the US and this is one of the things that came up with one of my corporations. They researched it for me and cited cases. It cost me a lot of money. There has to be fraud and fraud would mean that the name itself caused a person to buy a product or claims were made for the product that were un-true.
I am a behavioral therapist and author but also work in other fields that are quite diverse. My personna in the other field is well known but I purposely do not mix them because behavioral work is based on conviction phenomena and therefore, I keep them separate.
I don’t make any unsubstantiated claims for any product I endorse and the companies offer complete money back guarantees.
You can call it lying if you like, it is still a free country. Others who see the world in many shades and understand human nature (P.T. Barnum comes to mind) do not see it that way. In a court of law it would have to be proven that the name itself caused the person to buy the product. Just using a pen name is not fraud.
We all get to have an opinion, that’s mine and the supreme courts. Of course, that could change if a case is brought before them and they make a different ruling.
As for Michy operating under the name of a corporation, good luck if you ever go to court with that one. People who operate under a corporate name as their own name have pierced the veil by doing so and therefore would have no protection.
I think Chris is right, we’ve spent enough time on this. We all have opinions, and apparently some of us are quite adament about this issue. I respectfully agree to disagree and wish all of you well.
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