Impersonating a reviewer.

• Author: Cohen, Randy
• Position: THE ETHICIST: Life's full of questions; he's got answers. - Product reviews for smart phone applications - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I work for a company that creates iPhone apps. Whenever we release a new one, our boss urges the staff to download it at the App Store and give it a five-star rating-even employees who don't own a device that can run it. I think such false reviews are wrong and that our boss shouldn't pressure employees in this way, but I want to support our company. What should I do? Name Withheld, Dallas, Texas

Not what your boss is asking. Let's count the shenanigans. Misdeed No. 1: Nobody can review an app without actually using it. Misdeed No. 2: People can't objectively review a product they or their buddies helped develop, or on which their paycheck relies; it's an obvious conflict of interest. Misdeed No. 3: Your boss is demanding not a review but pure praise, thus gaming the system. And Misdeed No. 4: He's pressing his employees to do something that's beyond the scope of their jobs and, perhaps, runs counter to their own values. An impressive total.

It's true that many user ratings are of dubious value. For example, Amazon reviewers have been known to gush about a friend's book. But just because this...