The power of social media and the Internet

Clearly social media is extremely powerful, otherwise the Egyptian government would not have cut access to the internet, neither would the US government put out solicitations to subvert it.

Honestly, astroturf is for amateurs.

Play by the rules

Buzz Bin as a good post on the new FTC rules for bloggers.:

While we don’t have a Sarbanes-Oxley-like law that codifies much of this for “endorsers,” the FTC has greatly expanded the things over which it will exercise influence. Endorsers (and influencers of endorsements) beware!

Beware indeed. Failure to observe the new rules will bring a Sarbanes-Oxley-like law down upon our industry's head.

Astroturfing may become a federal offense

FTC Ready to Cut 'Astroturfing'

The controversial promotional practice of "astroturfing" -- flooding the Internet with bogus product reviews -- is about to hit the dirt.

The Federal Trade Commission is apparently on the brink of updating its 29-year-old guidelines on product endorsements. While that threat has been looming for more than a year now, advertising lawyers say final rules are expected to be announced before the year is up.

And the FTC, lawyers warn, will be making one thing clear: Phony online reviews will not be tolerated.

Some of us in the industry have been saying for years that astroturfing must go. Now that the Federal Trade Commission is saying it the industry will have to pay attention.

Astroturf medical journal

Merck Makes Phony Peer-Review Journal

The Scientist has reported that, yes, it's true, Merck cooked up a phony, but real sounding, peer reviewed journal and published favorably looking data for its products in them. Merck paid Elsevier to publish such a tome, which neither appears in MEDLINE or has a website, according to The Scientist.

This is truly embarrassing.

Edit -
Jim Horton had the same reaction.

Astro-Slime

It has come to my attention that some bloggers are descending into astro-slime. We are familiar with astroturfing, where instead of building a relationship with the public, a PR firm merely creates an astroturf front group to create the illusion of public support. Now it seems that some are hiring online character assassins.

So far the phenomenon appears to be confined to politics. I am not talking about Democratic bloggers going after Republicans or vicé versa, I am talking about online vendettas that appear to have been bought and paid for. It won’t be long before this leaches out beyond political blogosphere. I predict the first commercial astro-slime will be part of a fight over weapons systems, but it will seep into every part of blogosphere.

Just part of the Pandora’s Box that is social media.

Edit -
Strategies for Curbing Internet Defamation

SEC begins to investigate hedge funds

SEC demands records from hedge funds

The Securities and Exchange Commission has ordered more than two dozen hedge funds to turn over trading records and e-mail communications made between Sept. 1-19, The Wall Street Journal reported today

The object is to determine whether traders spread rumors to manipulate shares.

Sock puppets are not just immoral, in the case of hedge funds they are illegal.

Using metadata to expose astroturf

Wanted: Writers for D.C. tech lobby group, secrecy mandatory

A CNET News article published in June reported that the name of an LMG employee, Alexandra Esser, appeared in the metadata of the letter ostensibly written by the corn growers and other grassroots groups. LMG Vice President Gil Meneses told us at the time that Esser "merely PDF'd a copy before distributing it" to reporters.

This is a great argument for using text instead of attachments. That or you could do real public relations and build an actual coalition of groups that actually share your client's point of view.

The days of turning a blind eye to astroturf are at an end.

After your front operation is exposed

DoD Suspends Military 'Media Analysts' Program

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has suspended a public affairs program that has come under fire for using retired military "media analysts" as surrogates to get out its messages on the Iraq war, a spokesman confirmed April 28.

Let's hope the program will end, rather than be "re-branded."

Of course, in a country where a defense contractor owns a news network, I am not sure how much difference this makes.

Edit-
It has got to be embarrassing to be caught in something like this.

Human astroturf

Comcast Accused of Falsely Taking Hearing Seats

The organizer of a federal hearing Monday at Harvard Law School on Comcast's treatment of subscriber Internet traffic said yesterday that "seat-warmers" hired by the company prevented other people from attending.

Comcast acknowledged that it hired an unspecified number of people to fill seats, but said those people gave up their spots when Comcast employees arrived to take their places.

Catherine Bracy, administrative manager of Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, disputed that assertion, saying most of the three dozen seat-warmers who arrived hours before the Federal Communications Commission hearing remained during the event's opening hours, as many other people were turned away.

Whatever the benefits of preventing critics from filling the FCC hearing has been more than lost by the use of human astroturf. Real public relations communicates your message in such a way that your company has actual public support.

Anti astroturf blog

Via Spin Thicket, Full Frontal Scutiny.

The New PR Wiki has an entire anti-astroturf section.

Citizen generated content and the end of silence

Buzz Bin

This use of fake advocacy groups is a common practice here in Washington, and is usually done in deep secrecy. Companies, issues-oriented advocacy groups, trade associations and politicians fly under the radar, while they try throw mud from a distance. While giving compelling cases, you should always dig a little deeper to see who comprises these advocacy groups.

The Orwellian names taken on by fake front groups is a joke among the locals here in the nation's capitol. Although everyone knew what was going on, for whatever combination of reasons, everyone went along with these Potemkin groups.

Political bloggers have no such patience. Exposing sock puppet comments are a sport among amateur bloggers. Nor are fall guys going to be sufficient to appease political blogs. The charm of a political blog is going after the biggest target you can, just ask Walmart.

The way to work social media is to take an agricultural view. Think in terms of cultivation rather than manipulation. Use blog search tools such as Technorati, Blogdigger, etc., to identify your friends and them reward them. Encourage your employees and subcontractors to blog. Above all, consult with a credible expert on social media.