Redditor claims MS employees monitoring Reddit; making positive posts about the Xbox1

I remember last generation jump here on GAF when the PS3 and 360 were going at it, there were so many bans it was incredible, all from MS marketers. Not sure why SONY didnt embrace it as much.

Some of these marketers were so dumb using their company emails to get accounts and posting company talking points.

They were easily caught by Gaffers though using previous message history. Unfortunately that doesn't happen as much in GAF anymore since its a bit more difficult to get user post histories.
 
I've definitely noticed it here too. I can't remember what thread it was(probably most ps4/Xboxone threads) but I saw on the first or second page at least four junior members repeating the exact same thing about the Xbox.

It's pretty gross that they're getting this desperate.
 
The writer of the article is clearly out of line if his company is indeed working together with Microsoft. You don't treat customers / partners like that.

About what he wrote, that is nothing new and is common practice. Every major consumer brand does this to some degree and there is a lot of business in it if you're good at hiding that you have a paid agenda. Nothing wrong with it in my opinion.
 
Wouldn't be surprised when it's true, but anyone could just write a post like that on reddit. Doesn't really expose anything.
 
Pyscho_Mantis said:
Bish crashing the astroturfing party:

ib12XEth1PwKD2.gif
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Blast from the past. Damn!! :lol
 
1337 said:
The writer of the article is clearly out of line if his company is indeed working together with Microsoft. You don't treat customers / partners like that.

About what he wrote, that is nothing new and is common practice. Every major consumer brand does this to some degree and there is a lot of business in it if you're good at hiding that you have a paid agenda. Nothing wrong with it in my opinion.
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There's plenty wrong with it in my opinon. Misrepresents consumer opinion, attempts to herd public thought, plays on psychology. It's all around seedy business practice. Being professional is one thing, disguising yourself as an average joe to subversively sway opinion is another entirely.
 
MogCakes said:
There's plenty wrong with it in my opinon. Misrepresents consumer opinion, attempts to herd public thought, plays on psychology. It's all around seedy business practice. Being professional is one thing, disguising yourself as an average joe to subversively sway opinion is another entirely.
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This.

Also... no one should be surprised though.
Unfettered capital tends to do this stuff...

Soler said:
Ronald Reagan would be proud
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I read that microsoft actually resurrected him to post on /v/ for them
 
1337 said:
The writer of the article is clearly out of line if his company is indeed working together with Microsoft. You don't treat customers / partners like that.

About what he wrote, that is nothing new and is common practice. Every major consumer brand does this to some degree and there is a lot of business in it if you're good at hiding that you have a paid agenda. Nothing wrong with it in my opinion.
Click to expand...

How dare he tell us that we are being manipulated by shills in the employ of multimillion dollar companies? Basically?
 
1337 said:
The writer of the article is clearly out of line if his company is indeed working together with Microsoft. You don't treat customers / partners like that.

About what he wrote, that is nothing new and is common practice. Every major consumer brand does this to some degree and there is a lot of business in it if you're good at hiding that you have a paid agenda. Nothing wrong with it in my opinion.
Click to expand...

How can you possibly not find anything wrong with it. Not thinking it's a big deal, maybe, but it's literally being disengenuous, trying to trick people into believing you by creating a false persona.
 
Is anyone surprised? They are throwing money at everything else.

Shit reminds me of elections. Are what people say true? Does it matter as long as they get your vote? (or purchase in this case)
 
MogCakes said:
There's plenty wrong with it in my opinon. Misrepresents consumer opinion, attempts to herd public thought, plays on psychology. It's all around seedy business practice. Being professional is one thing, disguising yourself as an average joe to subversively sway opinion is another entirely.
Click to expand...

That is your opinion and that is fine. But let's not act as if this is not a common business practice which has been used since the Xbox, GameCube and PS2 days. This is just another form of new marketing strategies which became available through the internet.
You claim it misrepresents consumer opinion. The question is if that matters in the end? For me it's not even a fine line and completely acceptable, there is no right or wrong opinion on the subject.

What is wrong is eavesdropping and than making a big deal about it on the internet. That is a mentality which is reprehensible in any profession. If I was his boss and found out about spilling the beans, he would be so fired.
 
Wow, I wonder if those social media agencies have access to some mod accounts - that post was deleted. Let's see if messaging the mods there will help :P

Edit "removed because reaction GIFs aren't allowed.", lol. Meanwhile, their front page is all meme GIFs.

Specifically, it's the first rule. Apparently this sort of non-gaming-movie-with-gaming-related-captions is against the rules.
 
MogCakes said:
There's plenty wrong with it in my opinon. Misrepresents consumer opinion, attempts to herd public thought, plays on psychology. It's all around seedy business practice. Being professional is one thing, disguising yourself as an average joe to subversively sway opinion is another entirely.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's the subterfuge part where I draw the line. Official PR and marketing people? Absolutely fine. Your agenda is out in the open and you can be earnest in your goals, which is best for everyone involved. Good marketing and customer interaction can help generate goodwill for your company/product/whatever honestly, and bad marketing and interaction will reflect poorly on your company/product. It's how these things should work.

As soon as astroturfing and other deceptive methods get involved, a line is crossed. Marketing should never pretend to not be marketing.
 
Soler said:
Nintendo shill confirmed :)
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Noone cares enough about the wii U to put it in any list:p (I kid, don't ban me)
I actually feel kind of bad for nintendo now as their unprecedented partnership may have ended because of EA wanting to push this drm shit hard on ps4bone.
 
1337 said:
That is your opinion and that is fine. But let's not act as if this is not a common business practice which has been used since the Xbox, GameCube and PS2 days. This is just another form of new marketing strategies which became available through the internet.
You claim it misrepresents consumer opinion. The question is if that matters in the end? For me it's not even a fine line and completely acceptable, there is no right or wrong opinion on the subject.

What is wrong is eavesdropping and than making a big deal about it on the internet. That is a mentality which is reprehensible in any profession. If I was his boss and found out about spilling the beans, he would be so fired.
Click to expand...

The fact that it is a common practice is frankly disgusting. That you find a guy outing this practice to be the bad part is completely ass backwards to me. That bold part is completely asinine as well. Of course it matters. And yes there is a right or wrong, it's about business ethics.
 
Purely anecdotal, but I've definitely thought 'This guy seems like a shill' more often on NeoGAF lately. Not sure what's to be done about it though.

If someone says something that no rational disinterested party would say, probably a good call to view them with suspicion. I just wish I could leave notes on particular users, so I could keep track of them down the line.

1337 said:
That is your opinion and that is fine. But let's not act as if this is not a common business practice which has been used since the Xbox, GameCube and PS2 days. This is just another form of new marketing strategies which became available through the internet.
You claim it misrepresents consumer opinion. The question is if that matters in the end? For me it's not even a fine line and completely acceptable, there is no right or wrong opinion on the subject.

What is wrong is eavesdropping and than making a big deal about it on the internet. That is a mentality which is reprehensible in any profession. If I was his boss and found out about spilling the beans, he would be so fired.
Click to expand...

What? The guy pointing out unethical behavior is worse than the person actually doing unethical behavior?
 
This is pretty damn gross, I don't understand how this could be a standard practice without facing some seriously mean anti-competitive legal action.
 
Did the reddit guy actually post any proof? As much as I'm sure Microsoft is doing this stuff, there's something a little too perfect about someone just happening to walk into an office of astroturfers discussing astroturfing a website that already hates the Xbone and everything surrounding it.

I'm sure astroturfing is in Microsoft's playbook, but still.
 
MogCakes said:
The fact that it is a common practice is frankly disgusting. That you find a guy outing this practice to be the bad part is completely ass backwards to me. That bold part is completely asinine as well. Of course it matters. And yes there is a right or wrong, it's about business ethics.
Click to expand...

Business ethics is not eavesdropping when you are a visitor in another company which is your partner /customer and than putting it online. That is such bad business practice. I find it hard to believe that this was done in house by the way, this is usually outsourced.
 
I'm wondering.. could a lot of the anti Wii-U hate be insinuated by the same MS "Reputation Managers" trying to beat down the Wii U so the Xbone can take its place as the new go-to machine for the casuals? Just trying to spread FUD that the Wii U is dead and Xbone is the new gimmick in town? Not to say that Wii U doesn't deserve the criticism, just that there's a terrible amount of hate for a machine that's not doing too well. Almost too much. Hmm...
 
1337 said:
Business ethics is not eavesdropping when you are a visitor in another company which is your partner /customer and than putting it online. That is such bad business practice. I find it hard to believe that this was done in house by the way, this is usually outsourced.
Click to expand...

Business ethics is also not pretending to be a consumer when you're actually a marketing agent. That is horrible business practice. I find it hard to believe that you're supportive of subversion and deceit as perfectly acceptable business ethics. Right now you come off as a morally reprehensible person.
 
1337 said:
Business ethics is not eavesdropping when you are a visitor in another company which is your partner /customer and than putting it online. That is such bad business practice. I find it hard to believe that this was done in house by the way, this is usually outsourced.
Click to expand...

But surely you guys have a competition commission, business bureau, something protecting consumers from unethical and underhanded marketing manipulation?
 
1337 said:
Business ethics is not eavesdropping when you are a visitor in another company which is your partner /customer and than putting it online. That is such bad business practice. I find it hard to believe that this was done in house by the way, this is usually outsourced.
Click to expand...

I think the whole 'full disclosure' thing is a little more central to business ethics than 'fuck whistleblowers'
 
DBPlayer said:
I'm wondering.. could a lot of the anti Wii-U hate be insinuated by the same MS "Reputation Managers" trying to beat down the Wii U so the Xbone can take its place as the new go-to machine for the casuals? Just trying to spread FUD that the Wii U is dead and Xbone is the new gimmick in town? Not to say that Wii U doesn't deserve the criticism, just that there's a terrible amount of hate for a machine that's not doing too well. Almost too much. Hmm...
Click to expand...

Insinuating things like this is combating FUD with FUD, which is probably a path we as a whole shouldn't go down.
 
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