Do you shame your kids by calling them liars every time the get something wrong on their homework? Do schools kick you out for violating the code of conduct (which usually includes some language about honesty with faculty and administration) every time you get marks off on a test because of factual incorrectness?
Are people who write code with bugs just dirty liars, because the documentation says it will do this, but a bug means that in some cases it fails?
In ordinary conversation, yes, of course. But not in advertising copy. As to the latter, one cannot claim ignorance.
Try your position in a court of law after someone holds you responsible for an "innocent misstatement of fact" in advertising copy that leads to sales based on a false premise, and/or that causes injury.
Interestingly, about the difference between false statements and lying, this played a part in a scandal at West Point a few years ago, in which some students didn't realize the point you make about ordinary conversation -- lying must be intentional falsehood, with knowledge that the statement is false.
Nevertheless, someone who writes advertising copy can't claim this protection.
> Are people who write code with bugs just dirty liars ...
That's not the same at all. A programming bug isn't an intentional statement, whether true or false. A closer comparison would be someone speaking a word in a language he doesn't actually understand, and not realizing he's used the wrong word.
"You lied, so you should be convicted" isn't true, either. If it were illegal, why do people have to take an oath in court?
Lying may be morally or ethically bad, but in itself, the law is fine with it.
In fact - I wasn't making any comments on the gravity light thing at all. I was simply questioning a poster's odd use of the word lying. I haven't a clue how you are able to turn that bit of semantics discussion into a defense of the product, but I respectfully suggest you turn down your paranoia - you are seeing a scam where there wasn't even a request for money/favor/work.
That seems to be too lenient. If I honestly believe in God's healing powers or homeopathy, am I off the hook for failing to bring my child to the ER when he has a serious illness?
Yes. Dirty, dirty liars.
I always call advertising-copy misstatements "lies", just because the level of responsibility is higher and the copy writer has no excuse for endangering the company's future. As it happens, the courts agree.
Given that the main idea behind the product is to produce light without any standard energy sources, and not "a new bug repelling lamp!", I would give them the benefit of doubt. Also, the people behind the lamp are regular designers, not a big company which had all the time and energy to verify everything in the article.
Note: I respect your catch. I'm not promoting such misstatements in promotion videos, but the word "lie" is farfetched. Too harsh. Especially with all the other bashing going on here.
[1] http://www.energycircle.com/blog/2009/06/16/newsflash-leds-d...
[2] http://www.energycircle.com/blog/2011/08/17/correction-led-l...
