RSC Partners, Inc.

A lawsuit filed yesterday in Alameda County (CA) Superior Court reveals that certain special interests are using the Internet to take electoral deception to new heights (or depths– depending on which side you’re on!).

Proposition 87, which appears on the ballot this fall, would impose a surtax on oil production in California. Predictably, the oil companies hate Prop 87; the activist community (led by the measure’s champion, Steve Bing) loves it. In the words of Michael Buffer, “Leeeet’s get ready to rumble!”

The “yes” on 87 guys preempted the “no” on 87 folks by buying up a slew of domain names that the “no’s” would love to own (e.g.: “noon87.com“). There is nothing unethical about squatting on domain names to keep them away from your opponent, but the “yes-men” went over the line when they set up bogus Web sites at these URL’s designed to whisk voters looking for anti-87 sites, directly into pro-87 Web-sites.

The oil companies sued, citing an obscure California law called the California Political Cyberfraud Abatement Act. They must have had a pretty strong case because the ink on the complaint wasn’t even dry before the “yes-men” offered to settle, giving the oil companies control of the domain names and/or directing viewers to the official “no” on 87 Web site, nooiltax.com.

The moral of this story is that, while the New Media is often viewed as the “Wild West,” there are journalistic standards and best practices that must be observed in the cyber world. This is what gives online content its credibility and influence.

The mistake the pro-87 backers made was to manipulate the truth when they could just as easily have gotten as much or more traction by simply being honest with the online media.

There are millions of bloggers activley reporting on the Internet every day. More than a few of them would happily report on the work that the “no” on 87 campaign is doing, and they would do so in a way that respescts ethical standards.

All the campaign had to do was reach out to the blogosphere and tell its story. Instead, the campaign tried to pull a fast one and its reputation has suffered as a result.

“Yes on Prop 87″ Group Sued Over Cyber No-No [Los Angeles Times]