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Microsoft Caught Rigging ZD Net Poll

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the now-thats-funny-stuff dept.

Dj writes "Microsoft have been found to be rigging a ZDNet poll". Apparently they didn't dig on the idea of .NET losing. Of course as anyone knows, never trust an online poll because this sort of stuff is obviosly happening all the time. I just wonder how many comments posted around the net are posted with the same goals in mind.

6 of 768 comments (clear)

  1. So why didn't ZDnet pull the poll? by Graabein · · Score: 5, Interesting
    ID ZDnet knew the poll was rigged, why didn't they pull it ASAP?

    The poll is still available here. It carries no warnings or disclaimers that the poll has been massively rigged by Microsoft.

    Why?

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  2. Interesing 'privacy' note... by Masem · · Score: 5, Interesting
    In their 3rd point on the reputed email, ZDNet has to say:
    We know this, because our logs include the Web address where visitors browsed from; when people click there from a Microsoft Exchange email message, Exchange helpfully gives us the subject line and username.
    Certainly, Referrer is a common way to determine where people are coming from, but it seems to be a rather interesting privacy/security problem that MS Exchange would include the username in the HTTP request referrer field. If anything, I would expect a link in email to be a direct entry into a site, thus having no referrer field. (Of course, those of us that use plain text email simply cut and paste, and referrer ends up empty anyway). Even with this, I can see how this would easily work for spammers: have the 'click here to opt-out' link, and even if you have to do additional work on the end site to 'opt-out', they have guarenteed your email address at that point.

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  3. Re:There's a shocker by DRO0 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Maybe, maybe not. If you do a search on google for "poll rig fix", here's the 3rd result.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/13255.html

  4. Re:Is this terribly different? by Hooya · · Score: 5, Interesting
    it's not terribly different only just slightly. When i hit a link on slashdot asking me to go vote for something, i'm not being paid by slashdot in any shape or form. thus there is no obligation on my part to comply with that request. whatever my reactions are are solely mine. on the other hand, when your employer asks you to 'stop what you're doing for a minute and go do this...', you have been asked to do something for which you are being paid for (you are on company time).

    Therefore, we could conclude that people were paid to vote on MSs behalf. Whereas when we click on a link on slashdot, unless you're CmdrTaco or CowboyNeal etc.. you're not being paid to do so and are under no obligation. not terribly different, but slightly enough to make a huge difference. Asking someone to vote one way or the other vs. paying someone to do so. slightly different.

  5. Re:There's a shocker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Definitely not. In fact they have done much worse stuff, at the executive level.

  6. History repeating by Tim+Macinta · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I just wonder how many comments posted around the net are posted with the same goals in mind.

    Microsoft got caught ages ago with its hand in the cookie jar doing exactly that with the Barkto indcident.

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