Anonymous Microsoft employee claims Microsoft is hiring Redditors to make positive comments on Xbox - Polidicks

[table="width: 1200, class: outer_border"] [tr] [td][img]http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/519bc3e869bedd901200000c-620-465-400-300/xbox%20main%20image.jpg[/img][/td] [td]Representatives of Microsoft may be hanging out on the social news site voting up positive comments about the Xbox One, voting down negative comments and adding pro-Xbox comments of their own, Misty Silver says. The story goes: While at Microsoft for a meeting, Misty Silver saw and overheard some employees on Reddit. She looked at one of the employee's screens: [I]"I noticed he was mass-downvoting a ton of posts and comments, and he kept switching to other tabs to make posts and comments of his own. I couldn't make out exactly what he was posting, but I presumed he was doing RM (reputation management) and asked my boss about it later. According to my boss, MS have[sic] just brought in a huge sweep of SMM managers to handle reputation management for the Xbox One," Silver reported.[/I] "Reputation management" is the term social media marketers use to "pose as happy customers" on social media sites. They upvote/downvote and make comments. [B]Obviously, we can't confirm this story. We asked Microsoft for comment on if they have people on their payroll using Reddit.[/B] Read more: [url]http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-positive-reddit-comments-2013-6#ixzz2VaInOGpE[/url] [/td] [/tr] [/table]

I literally just read this on Reddit and it isn't a Microsoft employee, it's someone who works in a company that works with Microsoft. Also, "anonymous" [img]http://puu.sh/3aJ5v.png[/img]

it can work, all they have to do is be sarcastic on everything.

The thread mysteriously disappeared on reddit.

It just keeps getting better and better...

[QUOTE=FlakTheMighty;40943068]Also, "anonymous" [img]http://puu.sh/3aJ5v.png[/img][/QUOTE] Journalists will sometimes use a pseudonym to refer to an anonymous tipster to make it a bit less weird or confusing for the reader.

-snip-

It isn't just Reddit, 4chan is suffering from it as well. Also this has been going on for a long time.

[QUOTE=Raijin;40943261]Journalists will sometimes use a pseudonym to refer to an anonymous tipster to make it a bit less weird or confusing for the reader.[/QUOTE] Right... Forgot, either way it sounds like a pornstar's name.

I don't think they could hire enough people to make a dent in the public opinion at this point.

Well, that explains ZachPL. But yeah, this shouldn't come as a major surprise. Companies do this all the time.

[QUOTE=Damoman;40943302]I don't think they could hire enough people to make a dent in the public opinion at this point.[/QUOTE] You'd be surprise at how many people are walking in on the xbox one.

[QUOTE=synthiac;40943444]VIRAL MARKETING[/QUOTE] Why do you think they responded so virulently to the ratings of the Last Of Us?

[QUOTE]This is what Microsoft told us: "There is no coordinated or sanctioned effort by Microsoft employees, or anyone paid by Microsoft, to unduly influence Reddit or other online forums." [/QUOTE] The XBoxOne is pretty damn awesome. I'm going to buy 12 and not because they'll break all the time.

glad to see the Xbox One getting the praise it deserves! any other males in the 13-28 demographic agree?

[QUOTE=elevator13;40943626]glad to see the Xbox One getting the praise it deserves! any other males in the 13-28 demographic agree?[/QUOTE] definitely!

[QUOTE=elevator13;40943626]glad to see the Xbox One getting the praise it deserves! any other males in the 13-28 demographic agree?[/QUOTE] Of course

[QUOTE=synthiac;40943444]VIRAL MARKETING[/QUOTE] It does happen, even though most of the time on /v/ it's just shitposters trying to get people to stop talking about things they don't like. However, there are a shitload of firms like this that 'manage social media' for their clients. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TF0XbvK.jpg[/IMG] Microsoft is one of their clients. Agencies like this would be stupid not to astroturf on 4chan. /v/ alone gets millions of hits a day (large audience to market to), and you don't have to register to post or even have any identity (no need to make sock puppet accounts, easy to drown out negative opinion by spamming, only mods can tell for sure if you're samefagging and they're stretched too thin to combat a coordinated and relentless astroturfing raid). Both of those alone make 4chan an easy target for social media marketing, even with everyone being paranoid about them. So yeah, this is more than likely completely true. You just have to know when someone is being genuine, and when it's a shill. But it's hard to tell sometimes because these people are trained to act natural.

[QUOTE=elevator13;40943626]glad to see the Xbox One getting the praise it deserves! any other males in the 13-28 demographic agree?[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=elevator14;40943634]definitely![/QUOTE] Did- What? Really? You seriously drudged up an old account to do this?

microsoft would [b]NOT[/b] do this, the xbox one looks great as it is and microsoft is just doing what they think is right Xbox One delivers an entertainment experience like nothing before. Its innovative technology is rivaled only by its iconic design. Sharp corners and clean lines make for a sleek, modern console that complements any decor. Xbox One was designed from the ground up to be the centerpiece of every living room. [editline]8th June 2013[/editline] From the biggest blockbuster games to the most popular TV shows to the best of the Web, Xbox One does it all. But this is just the beginning. Thanks to the power of the cloud, Xbox One will keep getting better, with more games, TV, movies, music, and apps launching all the time.

EA did this on 4chan and reddit, I don't see why MS would be different

[QUOTE=Jeep-Eep;40943581]Why do you think they responded so virulently to the ratings of the Last Of Us?[/QUOTE] 4chan already hates journalists, since it's common knowledge that there is a very tainted relationship between them and the publishers (give good reviews and gloss over the negatives or you can't go to E3), when Last of Us scored 10s across the board their collective bullshit alarm (mine included) exploded. With the deluge of obvious and not so obvious marketers the past couple of days, it was a perfect shitstorm.

people stopped calling each other fanboys and now just call them shills. was there a time when you could be obsessed without being paid?

[QUOTE=YouWithTheFace.;40943707]people stopped calling each other fanboys and now just call them shills. was there a time when you could be obsessed without being paid?[/QUOTE]If you're planning to do something anyway, might as well get some dosh on the side for it. On a completely unrelated tangent, I heartily endorse this event and/or product.

[url=http://www.reddit.com/r/hailcorporate]r/hailcorporate[/url]

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;40943352]Well, that explains ZachPL. But yeah, this shouldn't come as a major surprise. Companies do this all the time.[/QUOTE] The pay is so good though.

It's idiotic to think that companies are hiring internet shills. So idiotic that I need to excuse myself from this thread to enjoy an ice-cold Coca Cola beverage. [editline]7th June 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=KillerJaguar;40943801][url=http://www.reddit.com/r/hailcorporate]r/hailcorporate[/url][/QUOTE] Bunch of nutters. Coca Cola products are fortunately produced in a nut-free facility.

[QUOTE=SpartanV2;40943237]The thread mysteriously disappeared on reddit.[/QUOTE] you must be a subscriber to /r/conspiracy

Wow! I can't believe you guys are mocking the XBOX One™! Its an amazing system with games like Call Of Duty™ and EA Sports™!

[QUOTE=Zeke129;40943919]It's idiotic to think that companies are hiring internet shills. So idiotic that I need to excuse myself from this thread to enjoy an ice-cold Coca Cola beverage. [/QUOTE] Companies have spent millions on getting views on Youtube through bots. Most notably those giant music companies.