I always liked the term “astroturf” for fake grass-root marketing efforts, be they to promote politicians or porkbellies. It looks like the real thing to the casual eye, but examine it closer and its fake. It’s nice to see that someone is taking action against fake blogs and other deceptive marketing practices of that nature. Just look at what’s going on in the Net Neutrality debate. Let’s just hope they can define regulations well enough to protect real bloggers from those that would exploit the law.
Hotels, restaurants and online shops that post glowing reviews about themselves under false identities could face criminal prosecution under new rules that come into force next year.
From December 31, when the change becomes law in the UK, they can be named and shamed by trading standards or taken to court.
The Times has learnt that the new regulations also will apply to authors who praise their own books under a fake identity on websites such as Amazon.
That last item alone can get people in trouble (for the record, all comments on my book Cyberchild’s page on Amazon are from real people who have read it). Or should it be left unregulated?
Would I then be in trouble in Europe if I posted under the pseudonym “Janky?” Would I be required to post as Adolphus instead?
This is (as I understand from the reporting, which like most reports, might not be the whole story) some very clumsey law here…
There should be laws that regulate the authenticity of claims in advertising (though not the context of them).
But this seems like, if I lived in Europe, that it might prevent me from created a fictional persona and creating a blog for the purpose of parody or humor, for example… or maybe even posting anonymously… If this is true, I would hope that the laws focus is narrowed to protect both consumer rights and individual rights – and in fact, corporate rights, as some company blog posts might be falsely interpreted. After all, a company should not be denied the right to blog too, and while advertising should not be allowed to grossly misrepresent a product or service in an effort to deceive, there really isn’t anything wrong with using some fiction in the blog as long the facts about a product are presented in good faith.
It seems like an excellent Idea. Doubt this would ever pass here; even though; people vote and corporations don’t, it’s money that controls our voting behaviour, not accurate knowledge. Money control what knowledge people have, commercials and with “some fiction”.
Like most laws there will be unintended consequences. There is no way to write enough laws to outlaw all bad actors or actions. You have to rely on peoples integrity and morals, and we have seen what morals and integrity the “Moral majority, extreme Right or extreme Left has”.
I’ve notice what appear to be astroturfers on this blog from time to time. They show up out of nowhere for one hot topic then disappear never to post again.
It would be a pretty boring job. Probably something they make interns at PR firms do.