Whoa??s Behind That Web Site? Hard to Know

Some self-described consumer sites are actually industry shillsa??-and ita??s not always easy to tell.

Yardena Arar

From shopping gotchas to mystery charges on bills to separation issues, cell phone-related outrages are hot-button issues. So a consumer group that focuses on wireless services makes sense.

That's how MyWireless.org portrays itself: "MyWireless.org is a non-profit consumer advocacy organization giving wireless consumers a powerful and unified voice to protect the freedom, value, security and mobility they enjoy with wireless services," says its Web site.

It sounded like a club that I'd want to join, until I read a little more. A tab marked My Wireless Issues applauded early termination fees because they allow carriers to charge less for service and handsets--a view not shared by most consumers I know. Similarly, the site's take on wireless cell sites (carriers should be able to put them wherever their trained engineers have determined that they're most needed) seems more industry- than consumer-oriented.

Strange Consumer Advocates

MyWireless.org complained bitterly about cell phone-related taxes (okay, nobody likes those), but I wondered about its opposition to state regulation of cell phone companies: Some states, including my own California, have championed consumer rights more strongly than the FCC.

So I began to wonder: Who was behind this "consumer" group? Though the About Us section wasn't very enlightening, it did have a link to a FAQ (not accessible from the home page, oddly) that finally got down to brass tacks with the question, "Does MyWireless.org just represent the wireless industry?"

The FAQ's carefully worded response acknowledged that MyWireless.org "has the support of wireless companies because it empowers wireless consumers to make their voices heard on important issues" (including, apparently, preventing government from telling cell phone companies how to treat their customers).

An even clearer picture emerged when I checked the My Wireless Coalition tab, where a list of the group's backers includes such business interests as various chambers of commerce and--surprise, surprise--CTIA, the cellular industry's premier North American trade group. Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing.

MyWireless.org's Web site illustrates how easily a special-interest group can pose as an unbiased educational resource. It's not the only one, but at least some similar sites are a little more direct about identifying their backers.

Hawking Hi-Def Formats

For example, the battle over DVD's high-definition successor has yielded two sites that promote specific combatants. Their names seem impartial: HollywoodinHiDef.com and TheLookandSoundofPerfect.com. But if you know what to look for, the sites' home pages give the game away. HollywoodinHiDef's tagline is "Built for Blu-ray/ Powered by Blu-ray Supporters"; and the rival site bombards you with HD DVD promotions and propaganda.

You can't count on a site's backers to reveal their identity or their agenda. So do a little research before trusting a site to represent your interests or to provide an unbiased presentation of the facts.