Please see my updated post on this subject here

REALTOR Code of Ethics Changes for 2007 

A few professional standards changes were approved at the National Association of REALTORS annual convention in New Orleans including one that requires REALTORS to give “customers advance notice if customer data may be shared with or sold to third parties”.  Another change says that REALTORS must present a “true picture” of where they’re directing customers on the Web and must not use Internet tools to deceptively direct consumers from their intended online destination. Other changes involve the handling of REALTOR arbitration proceedings.

The important changes to Article 12 that all REALTORS and members of the public working with REALTORS should be aware of are highlighted here and come directly for the National Association of REALTORS website. These changes become effective 1/1/07

Approved changes to Article 12:        

1.   REALTORS intending to share or sell consumer information gathered
via the Internet shall disclose that possibility in a reasonable and
readily apparent manner.

The rationale is "The proposed new Standard of Practice will protect consumers by giving them advance notice where information they give to REALTORS via REALTORS websites will be shared with, or sold to, third parties."

2.  REALTORS obligation to present a true picture in their
advertising and representations to the public includes the URLs and domain names they use, and prohibits REALTORS from:

 (1) Engaging in deceptive or unauthorized framing of real estate brokerage websites;

 (2) Manipulating (e.g. presenting content developed by others) listing content in any way that produces a deceptive or misleading result; or

 (3) Deceptively using metatags, keywords or other devices/methods to direct, drive or divert Internet traffic, or to otherwise mislead consumers."

The rationale is: "This new Standard of Practice is intended to clarify that Article 12's 'true picture' obligation prohibits deceptive and unauthorized framing of other real estate websites; manipulating listing content to
produce a deceptive or misleading result; and using Internet tools to deceptively direct, drive or divert consumers from their intended Internet destinations.".

 To take a Code of Ethics quiz visit JF Sellsius blog link here