The author may have had nothing to do with the blog.
I got a call recently from someone involved in helping victims of fraud, asking me to look at a blog (written as technical advice) from a large international adviser firm.
The blog was incorrect/misleading in a number of areas and I pointed this out. My contact then called the firm to complain about that blog (and a few other blogs) and was told that the firm did not actually write the blog at all. It had outsourced the work to an independent company and so the adviser shown as the author had nothing to do with the blog.
Not only that, even the adviser was not qualified or regulated to provide any advice on the subject in the jurisdiction he claimed to cover. If a financial advice firm outsources articles but publishes them as if written by a specific adviser who did not actually write them, there can be both legal and ethical considerations. Whether it becomes a serious issue depends on how the content is presented, what contracts exist with the writer, and which financial regulations apply in the jurisdiction.
Misrepresentation / Consumer Protection
If an article implies that a named adviser personally authored the content or provided the advice when they did not, regulators could view this as misleading. Financial marketing in many jurisdictions must be fair, clear, and not misleading.
Attributing articles to someone who did not write them can create a misleading impression of expertise for the reader.
Misattributing authorship may be considered misleading marketing by regulators if it falsely suggests personal expertise.
Advertising and Financial Promotion Rules
Articles written by advisers are often treated as marketing communications. Firms typically must ensure the content is reviewed, accurate, and compliant with regulatory standards. Misattributing authorship may be considered misleading marketing if it falsely suggests personal expertise.
Professional Liability
If advice is published under an adviser’s name, that adviser may become responsible for the content. Errors or misleading statements could result in complaints, regulatory scrutiny, or legal claims.
Ethics Matter
Readers often assume the named adviser wrote the article. Publishing ghostwritten material without disclosure may undermine trust if readers believe the ideas come directly from that individual.
Financial advice relies heavily on credibility and authority. Attributing articles to someone who did not write them can create a misleading impression of expertise. Further, financial services depend on public trust. Even practices that are technically legal may still harm credibility if they appear deceptive or overly promotional.
Summary
Ghostwriting itself isn’t illegal, but publishing outsourced articles under an adviser’s name can create legal risk if it misleads readers about authorship, expertise, or responsibility for the advice. Next time you speak to an adviser about material, written in their name, ask them if they actually wrote it!
