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Virtual Money For Real Lobbying

ogaraf writes "Silicon Alley Insider is reporting that health-insurance industry group 'Get Health Reform Right' paid Facebook users with virtual currency to be used in Facebook games in exchange for lobbying their Congressional Rep. 'Instead of asking the gamers to try a product the way Netflix would, "Get Health Reform Right" requires gamers to take a survey, which, upon completion, automatically sends the following email to their Congressional Rep: "I am concerned a new government plan could cause me to lose the employer coverage I have today. More government bureaucracy will only create more problems, not solve the ones we have."'" Relatedly, Trailrunner7 illustrates growing concern over realistic spammer profiles in social networking sites and their potential to wreak havoc, especially if these two methods were combined. "Many spammers now have large staffs of people working on nothing but building out completely fake personas for non-existent users on social networking sites and blog networks. The spammers use these personas to create accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Blogspot and other sites that have high levels of user interaction."

3 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Virtual Currency = Virtual Platforms by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'd like to hear Obama's stance on the recent Lay on Hands nerf for Paladins. If he is willing to support reverting this back to not include the Forebarance debuff than I may be willing to support his Health Care Reform bill.

  2. Re:Government Bureaucracy? by FooAtWFU · · Score: 2, Funny
    Yes, but I am concerned a new government plan could cause me to lose the employer coverage I have today. More government bureaucracy will only create more problems, not solve the ones we have.

    (Sorry, my account was hacked by a clever survey! :b)

    --
    The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
  3. Re:Spam by zippyspringboard · · Score: 3, Funny

    As an Aussie I enjoy cheaper and higher quality health care than someone in the US

    Good grief! As a U.S. citizen let me take a few moments of my valuable time to set you straight, you are most certainly confused. We have the finest healthcare system in the WORLD. And those of you so unfortunate to suffer with UCH Hate it. You hate the long lines, the refusal of service, and not having any say in who your doctor is. I pity the fact that you must regularly come to our country for lifesaving measures such as heart surgery. I truly feel sorry for the oppressive system you suffer under. Don't worry though, I am sure that American insurance companies are working hard to deliver you the freedom you so desperately need, perhaps some day you will be fortunate to enjoy the same level of care we do.