Reuters - "FTC Closes Fake iTunes Reviews Case" - Could The Same Tactics Be Used In Politics?

[TomCADem]

The FTC recently settled a case against a PR company that paid employees to post fake reviews on iTunes to promote the firm's clients. Could the same tactics be used in politics? Could a corporate funded political operative pay employees to post on progressive websites to attack Democrats and try to convince them to stay home in the upcoming elections?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS374796641320100827

Online product reviews have always been a little sketchy; you never know who actually writes them, whether there's a hidden incentive, or if it's a company shill in disguise. But now that the FTC has cracked down on phony iTunes reviews pushed out by companies who make or market the products, will these shameless self-promotions cease? Or is this just posturing on the FTC's part?

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Reverb Communications -- the PR and marketing group behind several iPhone games as well as high-profile console games like the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series -- reached a settlement with the FTC to remove the reviews its employees wrote. Reverb is also barred from further misrepresenting users as being independent when such positive reviews are in the company's financial interests.

In a press release, Mary Engle, Director of the FTC's Division of Advertising Practices, chided Reverb Communications for its deceptive practices. But aside from a stern "don't do this anymore," Reverb Communicates will not be monetarily penalized.

One of Reverb's executives, Tracie Snitker, told the New York Times that it's time to move on. "Rather than continuing to spend time and money arguing, and laying off employees to fight what we believed was a frivolous matter, we settled this case and ended the discussion," Snitker said.

[ixion]

1. The vast majority of the "information" out there is this type

it's more common than you think.