Strategy · 2 min read
What's fair game in competitive intelligence: ethics and legal lines
Good competitive intelligence is built on public information and honest methods. Knowing where the lines are protects your company's reputation and keeps your findings usable.
VeoCue team ·
Competitive intelligence is a legitimate, valuable discipline. It is also an area where enthusiasm can lead teams into practices that are unethical or unlawful. A clear set of principles avoids that.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. When in doubt, ask your legal team.
Public information is fair game
Most of what you need is public:
- competitors' websites, pricing pages, documentation and changelogs;
- press releases, filings and published financial results;
- job postings and public profiles;
- customer reviews and public forum discussions;
- conference talks and published interviews.
Reading, collecting and analysing this information is ordinary market research.
Be honest about who you are
Do not misrepresent yourself to get information. Posing as a customer, a job candidate, a journalist or a researcher to extract details from a competitor or its staff crosses the line, and can create legal exposure.
Respect confidentiality
- Do not ask new hires to share a former employer's confidential information.
- Do not use documents that were clearly leaked or taken without permission.
- Do not ask customers or partners to breach their agreements with a competitor.
If confidential competitor material reaches you, stop, do not share it further, and involve your legal team.
Respect websites' terms and systems
Read public pages normally. Do not bypass logins, paywalls or technical controls, and do not overload a competitor's site with automated requests.
Be accurate about what you share
Internally and externally, stick to what the evidence supports. Mark uncertain information as uncertain, and cite sources. Overstated or false claims about a competitor can damage relationships and, in some cases, create liability.
Write it down
A short written policy, covering acceptable sources, how to handle accidental exposure to confidential material, and who to ask, helps everyone make the right call quickly.
VeoCue works only from public sources, such as competitors' own pages and public news, and records where each signal came from.