Is it ethically wrong to give bad advice online?

I've been on a few forums as well as Yahoo! Answers and I've found that there are a lot of people who will ask total strangers for very personal life advice. And after answering them, (particularly ones regarding relationships, personal hardships, and spirituality) for months and months now with my best suggestions, I want to do something different.





I want to give not just bad, but terribly awful advice to some of these ridiculous questions. I've even considered thinking out how I'll phrase them, to make sure they sound convincing and reasonable. That way, my bad advice might be taken to heart and acted out IRL.





On some level, I realize that taking advantage of the trust these people put into online communities filled with people they don't know isn't right, but I've just become burnt out by all this nonsense. So far, I haven't felt anything akin to shame or the like, just a few laughs and a feeling of justification that I am only guilty of contributing to the madness.





Am I wrong?Is it ethically wrong to give bad advice online?
I don't see anything wrong with it, if you really have the time to waste.Is it ethically wrong to give bad advice online?
If your intent is actually to cause someone to do the wrong thing and make their situation worse, then yes, I think it's wrong. You should spend your time doing something constructive, or even just waste your own time, rather than being destructive to others.





If your intent is just to get a few laughs by getting other people to take you seriously while you're really just mocking them, then you're just a lame, unoriginal troll, like hundreds of thousands before you.
Ya you are wrong. Some of the more ridiculous questions are asked by people not thinking straight because of there problems or maybe naive teenagers. If you dont want to give real advice dont give any. (I'm not judging you as I thought the same. It could be funny though)
No, you're being perfectly reasonable. Anyone with good morals and strong character would do the same. These people must learn a valuable lesson to not trust others, it's a lesson we all must learn.








So, how'd I do?
Yes, you are. It is wrong to give people that truly need help the worst advice you can manage, just for the sake of a good laugh.
Is it ethically or morally?


If you can answer this difference, then you got your answer.
i never give bad advice.... yes your wrong.








no, if people want to ask total stranges then its their fault. for all they know, they could be asking a 5 year old.





try it :)
will your conscience allow that? if so you have deeper questions to ask.
I don't think there's anything wrong with it.
yes. get a life
why embrace the Dark side?





if you are so burned out........then take a break........go read a good book.........why be hurtful? Doesn't that mess with your Karma? Doesn't what goes around, come around?





Of course, on the other hand, when you realize half the people here are in their 50's........pretending to be 13 year old girls.........well, yes, then you do start seeing the sheer insanity of it all, and your answers start shifting towards the snarky side..........when you see an OBVIOUSLY loaded question, asked by someone who is clearly NOT looking for advice.... clearly NOT 13........but just looking to start trouble, or get kinky answers and be a troll in general........in which case..........smart**** answers are what they are LOOKING for............so, yeah.........feel free, I guess.





I mean.....the political questions.............geesh.....why even ask them? The answer the people WANT is always in the question!





There's no point giving a real, opposing opinion or advice.......





same in some other topics.........and why people ask questions I could find the answer to in 5 seconds on Google is beyond me.





whats' the POINT of that? to get points and stars?





It's all just silly.......so.......yeah dude.......have fun.......whatever...........don't let it bother ya...............
Dear Stan,


What an arrogant, self-opinionated character you are! Of course, some of the questons will seem naive, badly-expressed, and sometimes ridiculous; but this does not mean you have to take advantage of the writer by deliberateyu misleading them. Many feel thnat they can talk or write about their personal problems on YA because they have the cloak of anonymity.Noone knows who they are so they feel that they can ask for all sorts of advice on intimate problems that they would never discuss even with their friends.


For you to take advantage shows a mean spirit. I do not believe that you are really like this. Perhaps a little more maturity would help. Try to make someone a little happier.


Anyone can tell lies! All you have to have is a good memory.