I don't think it is so much a matter of treating people like idiots, I think it is more pushing things to the extreme. Or more knowing what extreme things can go to, and preventing a problem from eroding consumer trust. A few years ago, there was a scandal where certain investment managers and advisors would give interviews and talk about companies that showed promise and might be a good investment. It was discovered that some analysts would invest in a company, then discuss the stock to affect the value of their investment. This scandal eroded consumer trust in the markets, and caused some analysts to be persued under the same word of mouth marketing rules that we are discussing being applied to links.

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The best way to learn anything, is to question everything.