Would Twitter Make President Obama 'Follow' the Tea Party If the Price Is Right?

theodp (442580) writes Giving others the impression that individuals support something that they actually don't could get you fined and placed under house arrest. But if you're Twitter, it could boost your bottom line. Gigaom's Carmel DeAmicis reports that brands pay Twitter to falsely appear in your following list, an advertising technique brought to light by William Shatner after he saw that 'MasterCard' appeared in his following list despite the fact that he didn't follow it. "By making it look like someone follows an account that they don't," writes DeAmicis, "it sends a false signal that said user cares about that brand. Although the brands are marked as 'promoted,' it's not necessarily clear that the user in question doesn't actually follow the brand. There's ethical considerations to be had. Hypothetical examples: What if you're vegan and don't want people to think you're following Burger King? Or you're the CEO of Visa and don't want people thinking you're following MasterCard? Or you're a pro-life activist and don't want people thinking you're following Planned Parenthood?" Or, if you're @BarackObama and don't want people to think you're following @TPPatriots!

Comments

Anything for a buck!

[BarbaraHudson]

That's the new internet - anything for a buck. Lying, cheating, invading your privacy, not cleaning up the messes they've already started, only apologizing when they get caught (if then). You and I would be in jail if we did half what they do, and yet, because investors know they will get away with it, they keep throwing money at the worst offenders.

Politician question

[ITRambo]

Obama, being a politician, would "follow" anybody on Twitter, without complaint, for a large enough donation to his or his wife's causes.

Why shouldnt Barack Obama follow the Tea Party?

[Anonymous Coward]

This two kingdoms version of america you all seem to live is absolutely retarded. The president should be listening to what his political adversaries are saying.

Re:Why shouldnt Barack Obama follow the Tea Party?

[ATMAvatar]

The interesting thing is that the two kingdoms which really exist are far different from those which people perceive. Democrats and Republicans both serve the same kingdom, while most of the public lives under the other.

Re:Why shouldnt Barack Obama follow the Tea Party?

[Anonymous Coward]

They are? OK, please answer for me:

1. Which party wants to decrease corporate money in politics?
2. Which party is for decreasing the length of copyright?
3. Which party supports jail time for fraudulent bankers?
4. Which party would increase the penalty for crimes committed by corporations, instead of the current toothless fees we currently have?
5. Which party is for reducing our illegal surveillance both here and abroad?
6. Which party is for eliminating the NSA?

I mean, sure, they're different on a bunch of minor crap no one (should) care about, but when it comes to major issues, they're identical.

Stop using these godamn services

[Anonymous Coward]

Facebook, Twitter, etc. Users are their products and their power. Stop giving them power, unsubscribe today.

Following != agreeing

[grahammm]

Just because you follow something on Twitter or Facebook does not mean you agree with or support it. Surely it makes sense to also follow the enemy/opposition/competition just to get more of an insight into what they are doing. So, it would make sense for Obama and/or his staff to follow the Tea Party.

Isn't he the President of everyone?

[Kohath]

The President should definitely listen to the Tea Party. He's supposed to be the President of everyone in the US, not just another partisan asshole.

He says he is open to ideas from anyone. As President, that is the correct attitude for him to have.

Re:simple... block them

[flyneye]

Yeah, but Obama would still feed his mother a dead-rat sandwich, if he thought it would increase his popularity.