There are lessons to be learned in franchising from a recent incident involving Professor Peter Tague of The Georgetown Law Center, and, unwittingly, Chief Justice John Roberts. According to a story appearing March 4, 2010, on Radar Online, Chief Justice Roberts was about to resign from his position with the Court. The rumor had been started by Professor Tague who, in his criminal law class that day, made this announcement. In doing so, he told his students that this was not yet public knowledge and he could not reveal his source. According to a National Public Radio story, he also requested that his students keep this information to themselves.1
The students, of course, were all wired to the Internet and other electronic means of communication, and began e-mailing, texting and tweeting others immediately. Within minutes, the story was picked up by one or more Web sites. Eventually during the class, the professor acknowledged the hoax, making the point how unconfirmed information, especially when delivered by a credible source (himself in this case), can often lead to misinformation, believable rumors and the like.
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