In addition to restricting lobbying, the Academy tightened its guidelines aimed at negative campaigning, which has grown apace with spending in recent years. Presumably in an effort to counter the kind of whisper campaigns surrounding such recent best picture front-runners (and eventual winners) as “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Hurt Locker” and “The King’s Speech,” the Academy added social media such as Facebook and Twitter to its existing ban on “anyone directly associated with an eligible film attempting to promote a particular film or achievement by casting a negative or derogatory light on a competing film.”

Although the Academy’s plea for fair play is admirable, it’s difficult to see how the rule will be enforced, says Scott Feinberg, who blogs about the Oscar race for The Hollywood Reporter. “While everyone seems to agree with the intent and spirit of what they’re trying to do,” he says, “my fear is that their greatest impact could be that they simply drive untoward campaigning underground and further muddy the process.”