|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
|
 Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 5:10 pm Post subject: Political Activism for Virtual Currency |
 |
|
Article here.
| Quote: |
Astroturfing is corporations creating fake �grassroots� opinions to affect legislation, and you couldn�t ask for a better example than this:
On Facebook, the political action organization �Get Health Reform Right�, which is funded by health insurance trade groups, is paying people to send anti-health care reform emails to their congressmembers. But in this case, they aren�t bribing people using real money, they are using virtual currency, which is used in various popular online games.
Normally, this virtual currency is paid to people for trying a product or service (e.g., the movie rental service NetFlix). But in this case, the political organization is paying people virtual money in exchange for them sending an email to their congressperson.
Does this work? Let�s see. The email they are asked to sign says the following:
" I am concerned a new government plan could cause me to lose the employer coverage I have today. More government bureaucracy will only create more problems, not solve the ones we have. "
And today, Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) gave a speech of the Senate floor and waved a stack of printed emails from his constituents, saying that they are �concerned a new government plan could cause me to lose the employer coverage I have today� and �more government bureaucracy will only create more problems, not solve the ones we have.�
Unfortunately, paying people to send letters to their congresspeople is not illegal � either in real or virtual currency. |
Manufacturing artificial dissent is nothing new for private business. It's just utterly pathetic how easily people are being bought in this case. Of course, no senator could be stupid enough to believe these emails are the genuine actions of concerned citizens, but it gives them another tid-bit to wave around during their propaganda speeches. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
kotakji
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 6:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm curious about the specifics- which virtual money are they providing? I have this image of politicians hiring Chinese gamers to farm gold so that they can bribe constituents with World of Warcraft items. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Here's a link to an interview with Dan Porter, CEO of OMGPOP, a gaming company of some sort, "where he explains a scheme by the health insurance industry to bribe internet users into sending health reform opposition mail in exchange for video game bonuses".
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#34387500 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
