THERE is nothing wrong with promoting one’s business online, but there are ways to do so without making misleading statements.
An alleged product promotion on Threads has sparked criticism after a Malaysian woman allegedly claimed that coffee contributes to weight gain in women — a statement many netizens argue is misleading and lacks scientific backing.
She then suggested an alternative to coffee: a peach tea drink with no added sugar, said to help control cravings.
In a follow-up post under the original Threads post, the woman proceeded to allegedly promote the dietary peach tea drink.
The post, allegedly an attempt to market the sugar-free peach tea as a healthier alternative, quickly drew backlash from users who accused the woman of using fear-based marketing tactics to boost sales.
“Please fix your statement. Coffee is not the reason for weight gain, but it’s the sugar added into the drink. There are other alternatives such as black coffee, or just omit the sugar altogether. Coffee is not the culprit here,” one user said.
“Please be careful with what you share on social media. Even if you are promoting a product, there are sales and marketing ethics that do not require you to spread misleading information about a competitor’s product,” another commented.
“You just want to promote your product. I consumed lattes without any sugar and lost some weight,” remarked another.