Slashdot Mirror
Belkin's Amazon Rep Paying For Fake Online Reviews
remove office writes "I recently discovered that Belkin's lead online sales rep, Michael Bayard, has been secretly paying internet users to review his company's products favorably on Amazon.com and other websites like Newegg, whether or not they've ever used the devices. Bayard instructed the people he was paying to 'Write as if you own the product and are using it... Mark any other negative reviews as "not helpful" once you post yours.' Ironically, he was using Amazon's own Mechanical Turk service to hire his fraudsters. Did he honestly think he wouldn't get caught? Are Slashdotters aware of other examples of other such blatant astroturfing on behalf of a large tech company like Belkin?"
If you are spiritual or religious in any way at all, please pray for or send positive energy and love to a lady named Melody. Believe me, she needs it. I am sorry that this has nothing to do with the story or the summary. Please find it in your heart to join me in sending love and truth to this person. It is one of the more wonderful and selfless things you could do and would only take a moment. Thank you.
I wish I could mod this up. Every time I point out Linux zealotry I am modded flamebait also, which is why I don't bother retrieving my login info for my /. profile.
Anyway, you are 100% correct about the fact that no (true) Linux criticism is allowed here, but their same tired anti Microsoft fare is encouraged.
This isn't about Linux. This is about companies using others to artificially alter reviews and to jury rig rating systems.
You can lead a man with reason but you can't make him think.
This isn't about Linux. Stay on point.
You can lead a man with reason but you can't make him think.