Fake game reviewers owned

Homeslice · 08-30-2010, 07:09 AM

August 27 3:48 P.M.

Ever wonder who writes fakes user reviews on the Internet? So does the United States Federal Trade Commission, and they've found their first answer: Reverb Communications.

A high-profile public relations firm in the video game industry, Reverb Communications represents major clients like Harmonix and MTV Games, as well as their products, such as Rock Band. They also represent smaller studios that sell games through the iTunes Store, and that, according to The New York Times, is where they ran afoul of the FTC.

In a recently filed complaint, the FTC pointed out that Reverb's fee for representing clients' games "often includes a percentage of the sales of its clients’ gaming applications." In other words, Reverb has a financial interest in the sales of games it represents. With that established, the FTC claimed:

"From approximately November 2008 through May 2009, Reverb employees, including individual Respondent Tracie Snitker, and company managers, posted public reviews about Reverb’s clients’ gaming applications in the iTunes store. These reviews were posted using account names that would give the readers of these reviews the impression they had been submitted by disinterested consumers."

According to the FTC, Reverb employees posed as regular users and posted fake user reviews about their clients' games on the iTunes store. This is backed up, in the complaint, by a small sample of reviews the FTC claims were written by Reverb, including:

“Amazing new game”

“ONE of the BEST”

>“[Developer of gaming application being reviewed] hits another home run with [gaming application being reviewed]”>

“Really Cool Game”

“GREAT, family-friendly board game app”

“One of the best apps just got better”

“[Developer of gaming application being reviewed] does it again!”

The FTC withheld the names of the games that Reverb was reviewing, as well as the identities of the clients for whom they were posting reviews. They also stopped short of court, allowing Reverb to settle.

According to the New York Times, the PR firm "agreed to remove all of the iTunes reviews that appeared to have been written by ordinary people but were actually written by employees of the company." Reverb does not have to pay a fine, though the firm does have to make its interests clear in any future product endorsements.

Stacey Ferguson, a lawyer in the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said of the settlement "We hope that this case will show advertisers that they have to be transparent in their practices and help guide other ad agencies."

Reverb, on the other hand, posed the settlement in a different light, stating "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."

The FTC’s actions against Reverb are the result of new guidelines published in October of 2009, which are the first of their kind since 1980. Greeted with skepticism and dismay by many bloggers, it was feared that the new rules would enable the FTC to seek sanctions against any writer who reviewed products they received for free, a common practice in many industries.

Flexin · 08-30-2010, 09:11 AM

Does anyone really pay attention to the short ass reviews? “ONE of the BEST” Unless that is followed by why they believe it to be one of the best that I ignore that review all together. I do the same things with the "It sucks" reviews.

James

Particle Man · 08-30-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flexin

Does anyone really pay attention to the short ass reviews? “ONE of the BEST” Unless that is followed by why they believe it to be one of the best that I ignore that review all together. I do the same things with the "It sucks" reviews.

James

Nope - and to be honest, I don't pay even the longer reviews much mind, period.

Smittie61984 · 08-30-2010, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Particle Man

Nope - and to be honest, I don't pay even the longer reviews much mind, period.

Agreed. I remember looking for apartments and giong to apartment reviewer and every comment was either "the apartment manager comes by every morning and gives an awesome BJ" or "I'd rather stay in prison becuase I think it is safer because every gangster lives next door to me".

Restaurant reviews are even worse.

Homeslice · 08-30-2010, 09:39 AM

Generally, only people who are pissed off take the time to leave reviews. Which means that if you see a positive one, it's probably fake PR "guerilla marketing" bullshit.

Flexin · 08-30-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Particle Man

Nope - and to be honest, I don't pay even the longer reviews much mind, period.

I focus on the ones that explain the good and bad about the product. My tv I bought about 7 years ago had some good and bad short three word reviews. I skipped all of them. But one guy had a few lines about the tv and wrote the good and bad points in point form. There were a few more but his stuck out the most. I have been happy with the tv since day one.

What I look for in reviews is something I may have forgot all about. Sometimes someone for complain or praise something that I forgot to think about. So I find they help me that way.

James

Captain Morgan · 08-30-2010, 10:28 AM

Didn't really seem like they got owned to me. They don't have to pay any fine whatsoever and don't have to list the games or companies that got the good fake reviews. They just have to remove those reviews and not do it again. Not a whole lot of ownage there.

But I also agree with James on what I look for in reviews.

Homeslice · 08-30-2010, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Morgan

Didn't really seem like they got owned to me. They don't have to pay any fine whatsoever and don't have to list the games or companies that got the good fake reviews. They just have to remove those reviews and not do it again. Not a whole lot of ownage there.

But I also agree with James on what I look for in reviews.

Settled out of court = paid someone some money or agreed to stop doing something = ownage IMO

Dave · 08-30-2010, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Generally, only people who are pissed off take the time to leave reviews. Which means that if you see a positive one, it's probably fake PR "guerilla marketing" bullshit.

Not so for sex toys, trolling amazon is at times hilarious

08-30-2010, 07:09 AM	#1
Homeslice Elitist Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Moto: Gix 750 Posts: 11,351	Fake game reviewers owned August 27 3:48 P.M. Ever wonder who writes fakes user reviews on the Internet? So does the United States Federal Trade Commission, and they've found their first answer: Reverb Communications. A high-profile public relations firm in the video game industry, Reverb Communications represents major clients like Harmonix and MTV Games, as well as their products, such as Rock Band. They also represent smaller studios that sell games through the iTunes Store, and that, according to The New York Times, is where they ran afoul of the FTC. In a recently filed complaint, the FTC pointed out that Reverb's fee for representing clients' games "often includes a percentage of the sales of its clients’ gaming applications." In other words, Reverb has a financial interest in the sales of games it represents. With that established, the FTC claimed: "From approximately November 2008 through May 2009, Reverb employees, including individual Respondent Tracie Snitker, and company managers, posted public reviews about Reverb’s clients’ gaming applications in the iTunes store. These reviews were posted using account names that would give the readers of these reviews the impression they had been submitted by disinterested consumers." According to the FTC, Reverb employees posed as regular users and posted fake user reviews about their clients' games on the iTunes store. This is backed up, in the complaint, by a small sample of reviews the FTC claims were written by Reverb, including: “Amazing new game” “ONE of the BEST” >“[Developer of gaming application being reviewed] hits another home run with [gaming application being reviewed]”> “Really Cool Game” “GREAT, family-friendly board game app” “One of the best apps just got better” “[Developer of gaming application being reviewed] does it again!” The FTC withheld the names of the games that Reverb was reviewing, as well as the identities of the clients for whom they were posting reviews. They also stopped short of court, allowing Reverb to settle. According to the New York Times, the PR firm "agreed to remove all of the iTunes reviews that appeared to have been written by ordinary people but were actually written by employees of the company." Reverb does not have to pay a fine, though the firm does have to make its interests clear in any future product endorsements. Stacey Ferguson, a lawyer in the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said of the settlement "We hope that this case will show advertisers that they have to be transparent in their practices and help guide other ad agencies." Reverb, on the other hand, posed the settlement in a different light, stating "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." The FTC’s actions against Reverb are the result of new guidelines published in October of 2009, which are the first of their kind since 1980. Greeted with skepticism and dismay by many bloggers, it was feared that the new rules would enable the FTC to seek sanctions against any writer who reviewed products they received for free, a common practice in many industries.

08-30-2010, 09:11 AM	#2
Flexin AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,698	Does anyone really pay attention to the short ass reviews? “ONE of the BEST” Unless that is followed by why they believe it to be one of the best that I ignore that review all together. I do the same things with the "It sucks" reviews. James __________________ "Bust a nut inside your eye, to show you where I come from" "f youre horny, lets do it, Ride it, my pony, My saddles waitin, Come and jump on it, If youre horny, lets do it" "I'm not a playa I just fuck a lot" "Round two, I'm down to Do, what it takes to make you Understand I'm the Candyman And I melt in your mouth, not in your hands Hard as rock, yes I'm no sucka The boots I knock make me one bad mutha"

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08-30-2010, 09:39 AM	#5
Homeslice Elitist Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Moto: Gix 750 Posts: 11,351	Generally, only people who are pissed off take the time to leave reviews. Which means that if you see a positive one, it's probably fake PR "guerilla marketing" bullshit.

08-30-2010, 10:28 AM	#7
Captain Morgan Let's do another U-turn Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Moto: 2009 V-Strom Posts: 3,816	Didn't really seem like they got owned to me. They don't have to pay any fine whatsoever and don't have to list the games or companies that got the good fake reviews. They just have to remove those reviews and not do it again. Not a whole lot of ownage there. But I also agree with James on what I look for in reviews.