Internet Astroturfer Fined $300,000 245
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that Lifestyle Lift, a cosmetic surgery company who posted fake reviews of their services on various websites, will have to pay $300,000 to the state of New York. Cuomo's office says this is the first US case to specifically target astroturfing on the internet.
"Internal emails discovered by Attorney General Cuomo's investigation show that Lifestyle Lift employees were given specific instructions to engage in this illegal activity. One e-mail to employees said: 'Friday is going to be a slow day — I need you to devote the day to doing more postings on the web as a satisfied client.' Another internal email directed a Lifestyle Lift employee to 'Put your wig and skirt on and tell them about the great experience you had.' In addition to posting on various Internet message board services, Lifestyle Lift also registered and created stand-alone Web sites, such as MyFaceliftStory.com, designed to appear as if they were created by independent and satisfied customers of Lifestyle Lift. The sites offered positive narratives about the Lifestyle Lift experience. Some of these sites purported to offer forums for users to add their own comments about Lifestyle Lift. In reality, however, Lifestyle Lift either provided all the 'user comments' themselves, or closely monitored and edited third-party comments to skew the discussion in favor of Lifestyle Lift."
Re:So they couldn't shout across the office? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Like phone sex with fat ugly chicks or even dud (Score:5, Funny)
I had three Lifestyle Lifts and now have more confidence than ever. I look good, feel confident, and just landed a new high-paying job. I don't know why the government is giving them a hard time. Don't they have something else to do, like fight crime or win wars or something?
Re:Microsoft shills (Score:5, Funny)
Leave us alone !
Billy Mays Here (Score:4, Funny)
Hi! Billy Mays here with a completely new and revolutionary product called Internet Astroturfing! Read what thousands of our satisfied clients have to say about IA on popular blogs and forums ....
Re:Microsoft shills (Score:4, Funny)
All right, fess up, how much did Linus pay you to post that comment?
Re:Microsoft shills (Score:2, Funny)
I totally agree and feel the same way about people who claim to not be terrorists. Why just the other day a 90 year old man grumbled about the TSA officials inspecting his walker saying "It's not like I'm a terrorist!" Well boy did that make me nervous. I mean, who is always claiming that their not terrorists? TERRORISTS! They should have hauled his ass off to Guantanamo right then and there, but no, they ignored this obvious admission of guilt of actually being a terrorist. I can only hope you one day work in law enforcement so we won't be caught off-guard by such deceptions.
Also yesterday my neighbor claimed she wasn't a witch. Now I just need to figure out how to lure her onto my duck scale to be sure.
Re:NY Mom Lost 47 lbs Following 1 Rule! (Score:3, Funny)
It's like the 17th Century, when pickpockets used to work the crowds who came to watch pickpockets being hanged.
You've got to admire the sheer ballsiness of such a move though.
Comment removed (Score:2, Funny)
Re:NY Mom Lost 47 lbs Following 1 Rule! (Score:4, Funny)
Aha! (Score:1, Funny)
People who zealously and steadfastly hold true to a particularly opinion are not a new phenomenon, either on the internet or in real life. Whether they hold that opinion because of "convictions" or a paycheck, is, at most, a peripheral issue .
You're being paid to say that, aren't you?