Is asking your friends to vote your HN postings to the front page ok?
jrockway: People will read whatever is on the front page, regardless of interest.  If you want eyeballs, which almost everyone does, ensuring that you get on the front page is an effective way of getting them.  Getting your friends to upvote your article is a good way to do this.Saying it's unethical is not going to change anything.  It's a social news site, not some place where imaginary ethics matter.