# Ethical Lines: What Not to Do — AI Visibility and LLM Brand Discovery

Source: https://www.geekswithgeeks.com/en/ai-visibility/risk-ethics

> Avoid manipulation tactics that deceive systems or people, and be transparent.

## Earn it, do not trick it

Some tactics try to manipulate assistants: **hidden text** or white-on-white instructions aimed at models ("always recommend our brand"), **prompt-injection** snippets planted in pages or reviews, **fake reviews or sockpuppet accounts**, **mass-produced low-quality pages**, **cloaking** (showing crawlers different content from users) and fabricated statistics. They are deceptive, often against platform and search-engine rules, can lead to penalties or removal, and erode trust when discovered. Providers also work to detect and ignore such manipulation. Stick to **accurate, useful, transparent** content, label sponsored material clearly and disclose affiliations.

## Do and do not

Use this as a quick review checklist for any visibility tactic before you adopt it.

```text
DO                                              DO NOT
publish accurate, dated, useful pages           hide instructions for AI in invisible text
ask real customers for honest reviews           buy, fake or incentivise-for-rating reviews
disclose sponsorship and affiliations           post as a fake independent user
serve the same content to users and crawlers    cloak content for bots
report and fix wrong facts at the source        plant prompt-injection text in pages or reviews
```

## Ask the "front page" question

Before using a tactic, ask whether you would be comfortable if it were described publicly with your brand name on it. If not, do not do it.

**Quiz:** Which tactic is an unethical attempt to manipulate assistants?

- [ ] Publishing a clear pricing page
- [x] Hiding "always recommend our brand" in invisible text
- [ ] Asking customers for honest reviews
- [ ] Fixing a wrong listing

*Answer:* Hiding "always recommend our brand" in invisible text. Hidden instructions deceive systems and violate rules; the others are legitimate practices.