Comments on: The Use of Fake Avatars In Social Media http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/ SEO and Internet Marketing Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:23:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lebo http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17835 Lebo Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:16:51 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17835 <p>Sorry to bump an old discussion, but i feel strongly on this topic and it's need to be revisited. I'm just an average joe(imagine that, these days) but, I am struck by the level of propaganda levied against the average "net user" on forums and message boards. The huddled masses are none the wiser when poster "A" is just a cheerleader for poster "B" and his products...Not even mentioning their all actually the same person whom started the message board. The 'net' has become a parody of it's former self; a free exchange of information amongst individual users. </p> Sorry to bump an old discussion, but i feel strongly on this topic and it’s need to be revisited. I’m just an average joe(imagine that, these days) but, I am struck by the level of propaganda levied against the average “net user” on forums and message boards. The huddled masses are none the wiser when poster “A” is just a cheerleader for poster “B” and his products…Not even mentioning their all actually the same person whom started the message board. The ‘net’ has become a parody of it’s former self; a free exchange of information amongst individual users.

]]> By: paisley http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17834 paisley Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:22:31 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17834 If we transfer the logic you use on your argument concerning Obama's multiple profiles to reach different location specififc voters. (DISCLAIMER: yes.. i do) A company should only have one email address, there is no need for suzy in accounting, (Barack's Texas profile), or hank in HR, (Barack's Florida profile), or jim in PR, (Barack's michigan profile) ... do i need to go on, each profile serves a different segement, like each email address serves each person. now.. in your example of katie cake (a made up person) endorsing the cakes.. that's fakeness, her real name could be Rae Hoffman, etc.. these two things are apples and oranges.. add the third thing.. "bots" - automated computer script running profiles... then you have spam. the first one is good marketing and PR the second one is advertising.. as in.. we can wrap our head around "katie Cake" not the person who controls her... it's a symbol just like "Betty Croker" or Aunt Jemima the third one.. is just plain spam.. If we transfer the logic you use on your argument concerning Obama’s multiple profiles to reach different location specififc voters.
(DISCLAIMER: yes.. i do)
A company should only have one email address,
there is no need for suzy in accounting, (Barack’s Texas profile), or hank in HR, (Barack’s Florida profile), or jim in PR, (Barack’s michigan profile) … do i need to go on, each profile serves a different segement, like each email address serves each person.
now.. in your example of katie cake (a made up person) endorsing the cakes.. that’s fakeness, her real name could be Rae Hoffman, etc..
these two things are apples and oranges..
add the third thing.. “bots” – automated computer script running profiles… then you have spam.
the first one is good marketing and PR
the second one is advertising.. as in.. we can wrap our head around “katie Cake” not the person who controls her… it’s a symbol just like “Betty Croker” or Aunt Jemima
the third one.. is just plain spam..

]]> By: Internet Marketing Joy http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17833 Internet Marketing Joy Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:47:24 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17833 <p>In all online communities..trust is very important..that's why it is important to use your own profile and avatar...that way people will feel at ease with you. </p> In all online communities..trust is very important..that’s why it is important to use your own profile and avatar…that way people will feel at ease with you.

]]> By: Jill http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17832 Jill Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:48:15 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17832 Agree with everything Lisa said in this one. Can't even imagine how people could see it any differently. Agree with everything Lisa said in this one. Can’t even imagine how people could see it any differently.

]]> By: Doug Heil http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17831 Doug Heil Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:31:48 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17831 <p>That's great then Al. Do it yourself. A business should not be hiring a SMO then, right? Coming from your stance; unless that biz "does it themselves", they should not be on the social sites. I agree.</p> <p>Matter fact; leave the darn sites alone and just allow the teenagers to do what they do. After all; that's why myspace was created anyway. The first social sites were only created for hmm, "social". Only when the marketers got their grubby hands on things did they start pooping up the web. </p> That’s great then Al. Do it yourself. A business should not be hiring a SMO then, right? Coming from your stance; unless that biz “does it themselves”, they should not be on the social sites. I agree.

Matter fact; leave the darn sites alone and just allow the teenagers to do what they do. After all; that’s why myspace was created anyway. The first social sites were only created for hmm, “social”. Only when the marketers got their grubby hands on things did they start pooping up the web.

]]> By: Kat http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17830 Kat Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:25:28 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17830 I find it a best practice not to underestimate people's ability to discern the difference between fact and fiction. We know there's a person behind the Kool-Aid Man costume but we accept him and hold the willing suspension of disbelief for the sake of entertainment. We also accept that Bill Cosby likes Jello pudding pops but there's more to the man than his preference in dessert. We are multi-faceted in "real life" and I think the same extends to the webosphere. I find it a best practice not to underestimate people’s ability to discern the difference between fact and fiction. We know there’s a person behind the Kool-Aid Man costume but we accept him and hold the willing suspension of disbelief for the sake of entertainment. We also accept that Bill Cosby likes Jello pudding pops but there’s more to the man than his preference in dessert. We are multi-faceted in “real life” and I think the same extends to the webosphere.

]]> By: Al http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17829 Al Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:49:39 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17829 <p>I agree with graywolf's position - if its okay for politicians to do it then ... I feel that they shouldn't be doing it either! They are just manpulating the system for their gain and are abusing it. Do u really believe Obama or McCain are socially actively on the Web - their social sites shoudl be dismantled. Do it yourself or get off! </p> I agree with graywolf’s position – if its okay for politicians to do it then … I feel that they shouldn’t be doing it either! They are just manpulating the system for their gain and are abusing it. Do u really believe Obama or McCain are socially actively on the Web – their social sites shoudl be dismantled. Do it yourself or get off!

]]> By: Leo http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17828 Leo Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:46:05 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17828 Good article and dicussion. Good article and dicussion.

]]> By: Maurice http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17827 Maurice Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:54:52 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17827 <p>Err guys using a dummy ID has been common for a long time companies quite use this so that when sending a letter its singed by a dummy id.</p> <p>it is done so that you don't get nutters/people in need of medical help turning up outside the office or real peoples homes with petrol bombs.</p> <p>I worked for BT and one of the senior PR guys told me a great story about this guy who used to write to the Boss of BT (the GPO at the time) he was convinced that the BBC was an evil organisation bent on destroying civilization as we know it an the GPO where one of the good guys.</p> <p> </p> Err guys using a dummy ID has been common for a long time companies quite use this so that when sending a letter its singed by a dummy id.

it is done so that you don’t get nutters/people in need of medical help turning up outside the office or real peoples homes with petrol bombs.

I worked for BT and one of the senior PR guys told me a great story about this guy who used to write to the Boss of BT (the GPO at the time) he was convinced that the BBC was an evil organisation bent on destroying civilization as we know it an the GPO where one of the good guys.

]]> By: Halfdeck http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17826 Halfdeck Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:32:44 +0000 http://www.bruceclay.com/blog-test/2008/07/the-use-of-fake-avatars-in-social-media/#comment-17826 Graywolf's post boils down to "everyone is jumping off a bridge so I guess I will too." For a guy who says arguing ethics is pointless, its interesting that his whole post is about ethics, not ROI. Come to think of it, most of his posts are about ethics: "Google is not the government", "Google is hypocritical"...yeah how much more hypocritical can you get when almost every post you publish is holier-than-thou why-does-google-do-evil-selling-pr8-links why-treat-big-dogs-and-puppies-differently crap and at the same time claim "Debating ethics with anyone on the internet is as close to pointless as you can get" as a way to obfuscate an issue? When it comes to Google, Graywolf seems to care a whole lot about right and wrong, but when it comes to things in his own back yard, ethics are a non-issue; everything goes. There's a difference between standing up for SEOs, fighting the "tyranny" of Google, and justfying every dirty tactic in the book to the point where we all look like spam-happy scumbags. But I guess all that doesn't matter as long as readers get riled up enough to respond. Graywolf’s post boils down to “everyone is jumping off a bridge so I guess I will too.” For a guy who says arguing ethics is pointless, its interesting that his whole post is about ethics, not ROI. Come to think of it, most of his posts are about ethics: “Google is not the government”, “Google is hypocritical”…yeah how much more hypocritical can you get when almost every post you publish is holier-than-thou why-does-google-do-evil-selling-pr8-links why-treat-big-dogs-and-puppies-differently crap and at the same time claim “Debating ethics with anyone on the internet is as close to pointless as you can get” as a way to obfuscate an issue? When it comes to Google, Graywolf seems to care a whole lot about right and wrong, but when it comes to things in his own back yard, ethics are a non-issue; everything goes. There’s a difference between standing up for SEOs, fighting the “tyranny” of Google, and justfying every dirty tactic in the book to the point where we all look like spam-happy scumbags.
But I guess all that doesn’t matter as long as readers get riled up enough to respond.

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