Linux news

2007 07 12

Microsoft Not Alone in Astroturfing Through Blogs and Forums

Pay-for-blogging site raises questions

Reiss has big plans for Associated Content, which he said is tapping the creativity of millions of undiscovered potential writers on the Web. In addition to matching freelance content on all types of subjects with publishers with Web site space to fill, the company is also developing direct sponsorship and private label deals, he said.

http://s5h.net/u?z0a26
Can't trust anyone nowadays. Related: Microsoft pays star writers to recite slogan

The stodgy old media industry has a rule that newspaper reporters, and TV news hosts, shouldn't trade on their public trust to endorse products.

http://s5h.net/u?z02b3
Malik, Arrington and Battelle: X-22, come in [to Microsoft]

What would possess a collection of online publishers and venture capitalists to pimp a Microsoft advertising slogan? Valleywag today reported about a site tied to a Microsoft ad campaign where the likes of Michael Arrington, Om Malik and others seemingly lend their support to the "people-ready" catchphrase. I sent e-mails both to Arrington and Malik and--surprise, surprise--heard nothing back. (Obviously, they are not yet sufficiently "Coop-ready.") Microsoft was still checking for me into whether money exchanged hands. But even if not a single shekel exchanged hands, I must wonder about the absence of common sense. Why would ostensibly independent voices come across as Microsoft shills? If they were hoping for a free dinner with Bill Gates, there are smarter ways to go about it.

http://s5h.net/u?z2d62


"The main thing I'm pissed off about right now is that they pulled all the ads, which mean we're taking a revenue hit. We're running a business here, and have payroll to make. We run ads to make that payroll. Those ads have now been pulled." Microsoft once again corrupts confidence in the blogsphere. They turn 'citizen journalists' to marketing people in disguise.

http://s5h.net/u?ze87e
How's the Reception at [Microsoft's] Channel 9?

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates emphasized the importance of blogging in a May 2004 speech during the company's annual CEO summit. But Gates doesn't blog; same for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. [...] Many Microsoft employees do blog, reportedly more than 4,000 of them. The number of employee bloggers was comparatively quite small, about 300, before the launch of Channel 9 and the success of Scoble's blog. Last year could be called year of the blog at Microsoft. Employee blogrolls swelled and Microsoft bloggers disseminated lots of vital information about the company. Increasingly, employee bloggers are becoming Microsoft's primary evangelists. They are certainly a group over which the company can exact some control and which can spin information to Microsoft's advantage.

http://s5h.net/u?z96031
Microsoft really loves Bloggers !!!

Microsoft regularly flies customers and industry experts to its campus in Washington to listen to the feedback given by those people.The company invites dozens of key customers and partners to the event,where they spend brainstorming as a group.But as of late, Microsoft has changed it's strategy and the company is making extensive use of blogs to get direct customer feedback. Within a year,more than 1000 Microsoft employee blogs featured developers and product managers talking directly to customers every day, instead of once a year.Microsoft employees read dozens of blogs every day to see how customers react to Microsoft products and services. In fact,Microsoft employees have taken a bigger leap and even contribute to other's blogs in the expanding space of Blogosphere.

http://s5h.net/u?z36c8
Blogging for dollars raises questions

Then there was the law firm looking to find clients who had used a certain birth control patch. The firm told bloggers to "get creative, have fun with your post and help spread the word" -- the word being that the patch was killing and injuring young women.

http://s5h.net/u?z6e79
Windows Live OneCare competition

How to enter: You have from now until 25th December to post on your own blog about why you'd like Santa to visit you, and then tag it with "Windows Live OneCare Competition". Only posts appearing on this technorati page or that trackback to this post will be considered as entries. From these we'll select 5 winners at random.

http://s5h.net/u?z4f4c
Microsoft Traps and Hunts for Bloggers in India !!

Microsoft has announced the "Microsoft BlogStars" contest, to Hunts for Developer Bloggers in India. After feeling the power and increase of the Bloggers community in India, Microsoft tries to trap and hunt Bloggers in India to buildup the blogging community, for writing blog posts supporting towards Microsoft Technologies.

http://s5h.net/u?z7052
Seattle Area Bloggers Needed for Microsoft User Research Study

For your participation, we'll give you your choice of retail software and hardware from our extensive list. Current titles include the latest Xbox, Xbox 360, and PC games, keyboards, Microsoft Office, Windows, productivity software and much more.

http://s5h.net/u?zc4d0
Bloggers meet Mr. Bill (Gates)

That meeting is to help Web developers understand how to "unlock new revenue opportunities" through technology and content, which could include podcasts and blogs. The Microsoft sessions wraps up with a one-hour q-and-a up with Bill Gates.

http://s5h.net/u?zddb

http://s5h.net/u?zf8b65
Bribing Bloggers

This is the most frustrating thing about the practice of giving bloggers free stuff: it pisses in the well, reducing the credibility of all blogs. I'm upset that people trust me less because of the behavior of other bloggers. Don't even get me started about PayPerPost. [...] Do not, under any circumstances, consider upgrading an XP system to Vista... even if it's fairly new and even if it's Vista Supremo Premium Ultra-Capable.

http://s5h.net/u?z81c7
Microsoft's Laptop Giveaway Becoming PR Disaster?

This thing is starting to feel like a PR disaster. Bloggers are starting to smell blood and this thing very well may begin to turn into yet another episode of bloggers gone wild.

http://s5h.net/u?z47bd
Bribing Bloggers

It's a bribe. Period. You say nice things about us, you get nice things from us. Heck, just say neutral things about us-we'll give you a killer new laptop and we know that you'll be inclined to say better things about us.

http://s5h.net/u?z4be6
Getting a Vaio [with Vista, from Microsoft, even in March 2007]

Microsoft Belgium rang me yesterday (I don?t think they realised it was a public holiday here!). [...] The phone call yesterday was to confirm my address - the laptop (a Sony Vaio - dunno which model or spec yet) is en route with Vista Ultimate and Office Ultimate pre-installed.

http://s5h.net/u?z603b3
INQhack survives Vistability test in Volesville

The Vole (Microsoft) supposedly invited The INQ over for tea because we are notorious "Microsoft doubters" - and we were accompanied by other supposed Vole doubters such as the folk from lifehacker and a very nice man from Slashdot, as well as some Microsoft MvPs.

http://s5h.net/u?z8ff
Microsoft desperately wants my love -- and yours

I spent December seventh, eighth, and ninth in Seattle as Microsoft's guest. Microsoft flew me there from Florida at its expense, put me up in a nice hotel, provided decent food, and comped me and four other invitees to this "special conference" with presentations about the marvels of Vista and other recent or upcoming Microsoft products. They didn't quite play the old Beatles song "Love Me Do" in the background, but it was the event's unstated theme.

http://s5h.net/u?z8b6a
Bill Gates lends cash to buy newspapers $350 million to MediaNews

Gates involvement has been very behind the scenes. In fact many of those involved in the deal didn'teven know he was one of the investors. It was carried out through the Gates Foundation, the world's largest philanthropy outfit.

http://s5h.net/u?z055