Cases of Companies using fake profiles to hype their facebook campaign/page?

Horus

I am working on a research paper about agencies or companiesthat created fake facebook profiles to increase followers or build buzz around that specific profile. My topic is on abuses of social media by corporations or advertising agencies. I recalled an agency in Los Angeles got busted by the users over this and ruined their business but I cannot recall the name. I thought it was Deutsch but nothing on them.

If anyone, maybe in the industry, knows of such cases please let me know cause I cannot find anything other than company's being a$$$#((#@ on their profiles.

Thank you

Skoal Cat

Type random local/small businesses, including non-profits, into Yelp or Trip Advisor and look for any reviews by users with one review who just happen to looooove the place almost as much as a marketing department would.
I'm sorry I can't give you specifics, but I've worked with several companies who've done this and can assure you that yes, it happens. Also look into Twitter accounts. Its always interesting when companies have Twitter friends who are mostly event planning/advertising contacts. Gee, I wonder how they help each other... oh! I know!
... ugh

MagicToaster

How exactly is using a fake profile to create an illusion of activity which in turn promotes actual user activity an abuse of social media? Could you elaborate, maybe we could help.

Horus

@MagicToaster

Basically say a company is marketing a new product or service. With social media being so impactful on brand recognition. The company create Profile X which is all about that product. For some reason or other to build more followers or do scripted posts to generate more followers or really hit the user to want the product.

I found out PSP had a similar scandal:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2006/dec/11/newsonyviral

Hope this helps

darkmayo

Isn't this just astroturfing, except for products instead of social causes.

matt has a problem

The lonelygirl15 series of videos sort of fits this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonelygirl15

Wezoin

For those having trouble understanding what this is, I think he means, for example:

Sony wants to sell lots of PSP's. Makes a bunch of fake Facebook profiles. Makes a group called "ZOMG I LUV PSP" under one of them, adds them all to it, makes them all 'like' it, and start adding as many people as they can and posting comments pretending to be different people. As a result the hype appears to be inflated because sooooooooo many people (even though its really just Sony) luv the PSP.

It's an abuse of social media in the sense that it is dishonest, rather than having Sony Corp post a group and just let genuine fans join, they inflate their numbers by creating fake accounts.

MetroidZoid

Would it fall under some kind of spam category that might violate a social network's Terms of Service?

SatanIsMyMotor

@wezoin to what end? User activity like that won't drive sales and the numbers themselves are essentially worthless unless they're come across honestly. Furthermore, companies pay real attention to these numbers as they are measurements of various marketing key performance indicators.

I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but not in the way you're talking about.