FTC Angered By CEO’s Yahoo Forum Posts

There is a saying that goes, “on the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” The anonymity available to people allows them to be something they aren’t, sometimes with good reason, sometimes not.

Using anonymity to criticize a competitor has been a more common tactic as Internet marketing moves into prominence. Ripping someone else represents a questionable strategy at best, with a lot to lose if one becomes exposed.

The Wall Street Journal said John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, posted under the pseudonym ‘Rahodeb’, between 1999 and 2006. An FTC filing against Whole Foods detailed some of those posts.

In one, Rahodeb questioned why anyone would consider buying shares in Wild Oats in 2005. He also criticized former Wild Oats CEO Perry Odak for a perceived lack of business acumen.

The FTC recommended against the takeover in its filing. Meanwhile, Mackey is unrepentant about his posts. He accused the FTC of “picking on us” on his blog.