How the 'Dancing' vote was hacked

[The Straight Story]

John Roach writes: Does Bristol Palin, the daughter of that politically powerful hockey mom from Alaska, have the best moves on "Dancing with the Stars"? Some critics say she's definitely improved as the season has progressed. But the judges consistently give her among the lowest marks -- meaning it's the people, the voters, who have kept her around for Monday night's finale.

And these voters, according to theories swirling on the Internet, appear to be politically motivated. Having Palin tear up the dance floor on national TV is considered a boost for the conservative Tea Party movement. To keep the votes coming in, the party is using social media effectively to rally the base behind the young Palin mom.

The campaign apparently includes exploitation of a loophole in ABC's e-mail voting feature. The loophole is explained as a technicality in the system that allows voters to register an infinite number of email addresses and vote, vote, vote. The e-mail addresses are never validated, such as what happens when you sign up for a Facebook or PayPal account.


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"Lord have mercy, I voted for 3 hours online! I got 300 in," one Palin fan wrote in a comment on the HillBuzz blog, which is leading the charge on Bristol Palin's behalf.

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/19/5495782-how-the-dancing-vote-was-hacked

[YOY]

1. That's 15 shades of pathetic.

Nothing better to do but vote for a grifter's rather sad excuse for a daughter.

Not once...but 200 times.

[bigwillq]

2. Can fans of the other contestants

use this voting method as well? :shrug:

[tularetom]

4. Of course they could but they aren't as fanatical

They actually have things going on in their lives besides Palin worship (or Obama hate).

[polichick]

3. Don't ya love how self-proclaimed "Christians" are often without morals?

The Palins don't care how they "win" - just so they do.

[hugo_from_TN]

5. Nothing immoral about it

That's the rules.

If it's such a problem just remove voting by the viewers for the next season and let the judges decide. Or better yet, have a show of professional dancers only so people can see how it's done.

[polichick]

7. You're only supposed to vote 5 times - some Palin fans are voting 300 times...

Yep, that's immoral.

[hugo_from_TN]

14. No, the rules say you can vote 5 times for each email address.

It's a popularity contest with rules on how to vote. Following the rules is not immoral.

[NoGOPZone]

20. The show's executive producer said multiple e-mailed votes would be

wiped out if they came from the same IP address. ;-)

[polichick]

23. I'm glad they caught on to all the extra email addys. nt

[polichick]

25. Good grief, you sound like one of the fans who opened lots of extra...

...email addys just to vote for Bristol.

[Kweli4Real]

26. Maybe, you are confusing ...

morality with legalism. Legalism=What you have to do ... Morality=What you SHOULD do.

[Kweli4Real]

27. Maybe, you are confusing ...

morality with legalism. Legalism=What you have to do ... Morality=What you SHOULD do.

[NeedleCast]

9. I'm pretty sure casting multiple dancing with the stars votes isn't a hell-worthy trespass.

[polichick]

10. Nothing is a sin when Republicans do it. nt

[NoGOPZone]

21. Whose ballot box would Jesus stuff? nt

[Obamanaut]

6. I've read advice here re "du-ing" a poll that all one needs to do to vote

multiple times on that poll is to delete cookies and vote again. And again.

Is there really a difference, other than method?

[superduperfarleft]

8. Who. Gives. A. Shit.

If you thought this show was "reality" before, I have a bridge to sell you. It wouldn't surprise me if the show itself screwed with the voting, just because whats-her-name Palin brought in viewers.

American Idol, this show, all of them could care less who "deserves" to win and more about what will make people watch. Why does everyone get so worked up over this crap?

[Initech]

11. I don't get it either.

It seems to me that if we spent a tenth of the amount if time we do obsessing about horseshit like Dancing With The Stars or American Idol, we could actually get things done and make some real progress in this country.

[The Straight Story]

12. We did get things done, we voted out the repubs, energized the base

And then leadership seemed to dry up :)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

24. The show itself screws with the vote?

This makes the most sense. If it was my show, and Palin won the (hacked) vote, I'd screw with the numbers just to lend a hint of credibility to the show, giving the prize to someone who could actually dance.

(As if I could judge dancing, ha)

:hi:

[TorchTheWitch]

31. Of COURSE it does

I'm baffled that anyone really believes that producers are going to allow audience "participation" to actually decide how the show is going to proceed. With the amount of money attached to any tv program and the absolute requirement of high ratings there's no fucking way this would happen. The whole idea behind having audience "participation" through voting was just another scheme to attract viewers and make them FEEL like they had some measure of control in how the show would proceed, but the very idea that they would actually do it this way is totally ludicrous.

Palin stayed on this show so long because the longer she stayed the more people tuned in just because of their interest in seeing when the "person who shouldn't be there" would finally get sent packing. EVERY vote-in show does this every season... how is it that no one seems to notice that? And they do it because more than anything else it was long since discovered that the longer the "person who shouldn't be there" remains the higher the ratings, and ALL that matters to any tv program is the ratings.

[Winterblues]

13. Does it surprise anyone that Republicans/Tea Baggers think nothing of cheating

They brag about their cheating and think it is funny....It is no wonder there are so many nut cases elected to office..

[47of74]

15. Nope.

[Historic NY]

16. It like having the kid in school copy your answers....or

submit a book report or term paper as their own. What cheating?:dunce:

[AtomicKitten]

17. Hillbuzz? Why is a PUMA site advocating voting for Bristol Palin on DWTS?

:wtf: http://hillbuzz.org/2010/11/15/bristol-palin-dancing-with-the-stars-watch-thread-4/

[superduperfarleft]

19. Because the three remaining PUMAs are the dumbest people on the planet. n/t

[TheBigotBasher]

28. Dujan is no longer a PUMA

he is however a full on con man pushing for Palin.

He fits right in with Palin now, insulting a War Widow for not doing enough for American Troops. Despite this insult he still remains a front pager for Conservatives 4 Palin.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tavI-8Z3YX8J:hillbuzz.org/2010/11/06/speaking-of-thanksgiving-and-christmas-can-you-volunteer-for-thr-uso-this-holiday-season/+http://hillbuzz.org/2010/11/06/speaking-of-thanksgiving-and-christmas-can-you-volunteer-for-thr-uso-this-holiday-season/&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. People got pissed at that and even crashed the ABC site.

I happen to enjoy that show (goddess help me) and I tried to vote for Jennifer right after her first dance and only was able to get 4 votes in. i tried solidly for over an hour. Constantly busy. The ABC site kept crashing because of the volume and the online chat had about one Palin spawn supporter to every 10 for Jennifer and Kyle. Facebook too.

[Cheap_Trick]

22. And she STILL lost.

Jennifer Grey won.

Epic Pail...er I mean Fail

[AsahinaKimi]

29. America's

finest moment!! :sarcasm:

[Hugabear]

30. It's a fucking celebrity reality show

I don't care for Bristol, didn't watch the show, but I recognize it for what it is - a celebrity competition. Therein lies the problem - people often vote for their favorite celebrities, not necessarily who's the most talented. American Idol isn't much different, people vote for who they like the most, not necessarily who's the best. Of course, Bristol Palin rode her mom's coattails, every Teabagger, repuke, and fundie nutjob was voting for her. I can't say that I'm shocked that she made it as far as she did.

[Raine]

32. "voted for 3 hours" must be nice to not have

the responsibilities or worries so that you can throw away 3 hours voting on something so irrelevant. *sigh*