IT intern rebukes toxic company, managers demand she partake in social media campaign: '​I refuse to put my face on a public video peddling a lie'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Sep 23, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

Is a job offer worth the charade?

Being an intern at a company can prove to be a rough deal. It is the kind of thing that every ambitious college student has to do if they want a chance at a respectable job offer once they graduate, but they are almost always going to be on the lowest rung of the totem pole. It's often unpaid, and the salary isn't usually anything to write home about if there is one. You're not responsible enough to do any of the interesting work, but they will probably take full credit if you do manage to do anything notable. It's a challenging early career move.

Nonetheless, employers who take on interns have a vested interest in them having a positive experience. They want to look like a company that is good to work for, if only so it boosts the quality of applicants they get on their ghost job postings. Even if they do not provide the greatest internship experience, they may try to manipulate those who do not know any better to make it look like it is better to work for them than it actually is. It is the only reason that companies manage to hire in the first place.

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  • A photographer holds a camera as she records a woman speaking while sitting on a stool.
    via Samsung Memory

    A photographer holds a camera as she records a woman speaking while sitting on a stool. Stock photography for depiction only.

  • A computing student took an IT internship with a large company, and management informed her that they expected her to participate in a social media campaign in which interns are recorded talking about their work experience. Although she initially agreed, she started to have doubts when they sent her a script.

    The things that she was supposed to say on camera did not align with her actual experience, and she did not feel it was fair to lie in a public forum. Still, she wasn't sure if she would face some repercussions if she backed out and refused to do the video.

  • A photographer points a camera at a woman, with another woman wearing a lanyard standing in the sidelines.
    via Samsung Memory

    A photographer points a camera at a woman, with another woman wearing a lanyard standing in the sidelines. Actor performance of story events.
     

  • My company is pressuring me to lie on camera for a corporate promo video tomorrow. How do I back out?

    u/FirstLady04

    I’m a computer engineering student working as an IT intern at a large multinational company, and I’m dealing with a massive red flag.

    ​Management has been heavily pushing all the interns to participate in a social media marketing campaign. There is absolutely nothing in my contract about mandatory PR appearances, but due to intense peer pressure and the fact that all the other interns agreed I caved and said yes...

    ​Fast forward to today: I just received the actual script they expect me to read on camera tomorrow.

    ​They want me to look into the lens, thank management for the "amazing internship program," and excitedly announce that I’ve officially been hired as a full-time employee now that my internship is ending...

    ​Here’s the kicker: None of that is true!

  • A photographer points a camera at a woman as she gestures while sitting on a stool.
    via Samsung Memory

    A photographer points a camera at a woman as she gestures while sitting on a stool. Model portrayal.
     

  • ​I have never seen a full-time contract, let alone signed one... My boss made a vague, passing comment about a potential offer in the future, but absolutely nothing is official... Honestly, after seeing this kind of corporate PR stunt, I’m not even sure I want to accept a full-time offer if they give me one...

    ​I refuse to put my face and professional reputation on a public video peddling a lie, especially for a job offer that doesn't actually exist yet... :/

    ​Since I technically said okay to being in the video before I knew what the script was, how do I professionally back out of this tomorrow morning? Can they retaliate against me as a student worker for refusing to read their fake script? Any advice is urgently needed!

  • A photographer points a camera at a woman sitting on a stool with her legs crossed.
    via Samsung Memory

    A photographer points a camera at a woman sitting on a stool with her legs crossed. Picture does not depict real parties.
     

  • I'd talk to your school and see their opinion of it. The internship program would probably like to know this employer is not truthful about hiring their interns.

    I would also be conveniently sick tomorrow.

    u/snavebob1

    Ask them for the offer letter before filming

    u/hedge36

    This is the final test to determine if you belong. If you do, you have no spine and will work perfectly. If you don't, you won't be a good fit with the current staff.

    u/goatboy6000

    I'd say your chance in getting a permanent position is 0 if you don't go along with the charade. I'd say you do it and use it later to ask for a position. I'd think it's not good publicity for the company if they P.R. campaign is a lie.

    u/how33dy

    Just go off script and say what you can say in the best way but without compromise - those are just suggested words made up by a person that does not know anything about reality of your existence there.

    “Thank you management for an amazing internship for which I truly am grateful and look forward to being hired full-time at the end of my internship!”

    Stop asking for permission and remember businesses are just people making it up as they go to do what they think their job is.

    u/wattywatt_3000

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