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FTC: Machinima Took Secret Cash To Shill Xbox One

jfruh writes: The Machinima gaming video network took money from a marketing agency hired by Microsoft to pay "influencers" up to $45,000 to promote the Xbox One. Crucially, the video endorsers did not disclose that they'd been paid, which has caused trouble with the FTC. For its part, Machinima notes that this happened in 2013, when the current management was not in charge.

4 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's going around by amiga3D · · Score: 3, Informative

    But that was disclosed. It's okay to be a paid shill if you tell people you're a paid shill.

  2. Re:Good excuse... by NotDrWho · · Score: 5, Informative

    So if the management changes, the current management is not responsible for anything.

    Of course, that was WAY back in 2013, when Allen DeBevoise was the CEO of the company. Now he's just the Chairman of our Board of Directors.

    Lol, I'm not even joking.

    --
    SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
  3. Re:Well... by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 4, Informative

    Seriously, the past couple years it has reached the point where I'm questioning if half the things I'm reading online are even genuine, or just shilled marketing from some PR team to push an agenda or product. It's happened on imgur, on reddit, even 4chan. Nevermind the gawker media rags, gaming media, and even mainstream media. I wouldn't even be surprised if it has happened here. We've all probably seen it - these people we've never heard of who suddenly get mass exposure for no reason, or things that nobody would've given two shits about, but every network carries the story. (Hurr, is the dress black and blue or white and gold!?!)

    It's like mass advertising has become mass propaganda, and there's nowhere you can go to escape it.

    You're about a century late to the party. But better late than never.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  4. Re:Good excuse... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Either way, the current management will eat the FTC fines (if any), and if the activity was criminal, I'm pretty sure the authorities can locate and drag in the former CxO's for the time period in question

    Well, they won't have to look very far, at least. Machinima's CEO from 2013 is currently the Chairman of their Board of Directors. As soon as the heat came down, he resigned as CEO, became Chairman, appointed his own CEO successor, and hoped no would would notice the shell game.