I thought in lonelygirl15, Bree was a real person. I am not concerned that she does not really exist. Nor would I be concerned if Bree does exist but is now pretending she does not exist.

There is a great movie 'Galaxy Quest', ostensibly a parody of Star Trek, however a key theme of the movie is the line between entertainment and reality. In the movie, there is a species of aliens who have no comprehension of dishonesty or unreality. They seek out the actors of a TV science fiction program, thinking the show is a historical document rather than entertainment.

Almost all entertainment is suspended reality. The sound of music does not affect hills nor have such songs been sung for a thousand years. Julie Andrews was never a nun or a governess and Christopher Plumber is a Canadian with one daughter, not an Austrian with seven children.

There is no issue with lonelygirl15. It is what it is: a broadcast. It could be entirely fiction, entirely the truth or anywhere in between. It could be made in a studio or a real bedroom. It could have been made by two teenage amateurs or a vast company of professional moviemakers. Should the public know about all this?

Well, it's like asking if a magician must reveal that it's a trick.

As for the other case mentioned, people have been tricked out of their money in the real world. I don't know the circumstances, but I doubt if the fault lies with the operation of the Internet.