Chapter 39 Quiz: The Ethics of Influence

Select the best answer for each question. Answer key follows.

1. According to the FTC's updated 2023 Endorsement Guides, which of the following situations requires disclosure?

a) A creator posts about a product they purchased themselves and genuinely love, with no brand contact or compensation b) A creator receives a product for free from a brand and chooses to mention it in a video, even though the brand did not request content c) A creator mentions a brand in passing as an example in an educational video with no commercial relationship d) A creator uses a brand's product visibly in a video but does not verbally endorse it

2. The FTC standard for adequate disclosure is described as "clear and conspicuous." Which of the following disclosures would likely FAIL this standard?

a) "#ad" appearing in the first line of an Instagram caption before any other text b) A spoken disclosure at the start of a YouTube video: "This video is sponsored by [Brand]" c) "#sp" buried in a list of 20 hashtags at the bottom of a TikTok caption d) The YouTube paid promotion checkbox that adds an automatic disclosure label at the start of the video

3. The concept of "parasocial trust" explains why creator recommendations are more persuasive than traditional advertising primarily because:

a) Creators have better production quality than traditional advertisers b) Creator audiences develop a sense of personal relationship and friendship with creators, making recommendations feel like advice from a trusted friend c) Creators are more likely to have genuinely used the products they recommend d) Platform algorithms amplify creator content more than traditional advertising

4. Maya Chen's policy for evaluating brand partnerships includes which of the following tests?

a) She accepts any deal over $5,000 regardless of fit, treating it as a revenue optimization decision b) She asks whether she would recommend the brand to her followers even if she weren't being paid c) She requires brands to submit to a third-party ethics audit before she'll work with them d) She restricts sponsored content to less than 5% of her total output

5. Which of the following is an example of the "manufactured social proof" dark pattern?

a) A creator genuinely sharing that 200 of their followers have reviewed a product positively in the comments b) A brand telling a creator that their product has "thousands of five-star reviews" when those reviews were incentivized, and the creator repeating this claim without verification c) A creator sharing that they personally have used a product for six months with positive results d) A creator including a disclaimer that their results are atypical

6. The "endorsement fit principle" in influencer marketing research refers to:

a) The requirement that creators only endorse products in the same price range they typically discuss b) The finding that audiences accept sponsored content more readily when the brand aligns with the creator's established niche and expressed values c) The legal requirement that sponsored content must be logically connected to the creator's content category d) The FTC guideline specifying that disclosures must fit within the format of the host platform

7. Marcus Webb's approach to authentic persona construction is best described as:

a) Concealing his MBA background to maintain a "regular person" image, which constitutes deceptive persona building b) Making intentional presentation choices to communicate in a relatable peer voice while not fabricating personal experiences or credentials c) Fully disclosing his MBA student status in every video to ensure complete transparency d) Adjusting his content to match the financial sophistication of whatever audience segment he is trying to reach

8. According to the chapter's analysis of the "apology video" genre, which of the following is a characteristic of apologies that audiences tend to identify as inauthentic?

a) Specific description of what was wrong and why b) Focus on the impact of the creator's actions on others rather than on the creator's feelings c) Excessive focus on the creator's emotional response to the accusation rather than on those who were affected d) Absence of qualifications and "but" clauses

9. The ⚖️ equity callout in Section 39.2 identifies a structural issue with FTC enforcement. Which of the following best summarizes that issue?

a) The FTC unfairly targets small creators while ignoring major celebrities b) Enforcement has historically focused on larger, more established creators, while smaller creators — often in more economically precarious situations — face less scrutiny but the same legal exposure c) FTC rules are written in language that is inaccessible to creators from non-English-speaking backgrounds d) The FTC's lack of jurisdiction outside the United States creates uneven enforcement across international creators

10. Which of the following best describes the long-term business case for maintaining an ethical creator practice — the argument made in Section 39.7?

a) Ethical creators earn significantly more per brand deal because brands pay a premium for creators with ethics statements b) Ethical creators avoid legal penalties that would otherwise reduce their net income c) Authentic audience trust built through ethical practice is a durable asset that survives platform changes and market disruptions, while trust built on manipulation is fragile d) Ethical creators build reputations that make them attractive acquisition targets for media companies

Answer Key