If you've ever been tempted to talk up your company—or trash the competition—cocooned in the safety of an anonymous screen name, remember the tale of Whole Foods CEO John Mackey. He was doing just that with the handle Rahodeb.

In a blog post at Daily Fix, David Reich says Mackey's actions were not only unethical and embarrassing, they might have been illegal. (The SEC is investigating whether or not Mackey disclosed insider information.) For most of us, online subterfuge won't result in criminal investigation, but we can all learn a basic lesson from this episode:

Mackey would have accomplished more for his company by being open and honest. "Whole Foods has a good enough reputation that they don't need an anonymous cheerleader sneaking around chat rooms and blogs," writes Reich. "Most people, in fact, would have complimented him for personally participating in online discussions."

Online communities give lots of credit for fearless honesty. It is the best way to act regardless of the size or profile of your company. Staying above-board means you won’t have to worry about unexpected fallout much less legal jeopardy.

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