Did Nvidia Hire Online Actors to Promote Their Products?

[h4rm0ny]

I be willing to bet that most companies have done this.

Samsung were caught out doing it to HTC:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/24/5023658/samsung-fined-340000-for-posting-negative-htc-reviews

That's what I was referencing. But to provide context, there's almost nothing Samsung haven't been found doing. They gave a literal briefcase full of cash to a court official on a golf course one time. On another, actually true, one of their employees was caught EATING evidence (which were printed documents). And their attitude to other people's patents is cavalier to put it mildly.

I honestly avoid buying from them in all cases except for SSDs where I can't find a comparable competitor.

 

[Stanners]

I suppose companies can and do identify people who are essentially fanboys and pull them in deeper within centives such as free products,etc.

Maybe that's why we have some posters constantly coming into rival threads and promoting their chosen company while trying to find fault with the rival.

Let's not start going down this path.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Let's not start going down this path.

Well in the UK,anybody doing so would have to officially show their affiliation anyway.

Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, “falsely representing oneself as a consumer” (in the context of promoting a product to consumers) is deemed to be an unfair commercial practice. This amounts to a criminal offence, the maximum penalty of which is 2 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Regulations are policed by the Office of Fair Trading and Trading Standards.

 

[Rroff]

I suppose companies can and do identify people who are essentially fanboys and pull them in deeper within centives such as free products,etc.

Maybe that's why we have some posters constantly coming into rival threads and promoting their chosen company while trying to find fault with the rival.

4-5 years back when things would get a LOT more heated compared to now there were 1-2 people posting links to threads/posts to the AMD twitter/AMD centric forums where AMD staff were encouraging people to sign up here and "set people straight".

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

4-5 years back when things would get a LOT more heated compared to now there were 1-2 people posting links to threads/posts to the AMD twitter/AMD centric forums where AMD staff were encouraging people to sign up here and "set people straight".

But the problem is that US and UK law states anonymous astroturfing is an offence. The EU was ahead in that regards,but the US law changed around 4 years ago too,IIRC.

So,that means in the EU and now the US,it has been technically a crime for the last few years.

If AMD or Nvidia get caught doing it the EU and UK Trading regulators will take them to court.

 

[Mei]

wots up with all the deletes?
u guys sharing boobie pics again?

 

[Rroff]

But the problem is that US and UK law states anonymous astroturfing is an offence. The EU was ahead in that regards,but the US law changed around 4 years ago too,IIRC.

It isn't the same as hiring actors to promote a product, etc. just in reply to the second part of his post in regard to the bias of certain posters.

 

[Stanners]

Well in the UK,anybody doing so would have to officially show their affiliation anyway.

Yup, but is was more to steer aware from that line of conversation, as maybe it would not be long before people in specific were hinted at.

Or maybe not, but you get my point

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

It is the same as hiring actors to promote a product, etc. just in reply to the second part of his post in regard to the bias of certain posters.

That's the thing the Nvidia Focus Group was more about Nvidia getting some fans onboard AFAIK,so if Nvidia were to do that now,ie,give people items so they give postive reviews,etc it would be breeching the rules and regulations.

The only way for AMD and Nvidia to get past it,is via finding some loophole in the law,or doing what grey importers do,and making the assumption,that Trading Standards would be too busy to look at any claims.

Yup, but is was more to steer aware from that line of conversation, as maybe it would not be long before people in specific were hinted at.

Ah,OK.

 

[Rroff]

^^ I fixed a typo there from is to isn't btw.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

^^ I fixed a typo there from is to isn't btw.

The Nvidia Focus Group pretty much was Nvidia finding big fans and giving them free stuff to go an thrash the competition. Rollo was one of the main chaps involved with it and it was active before the reveal happened.

But the law makes no distinction whether you are an actor or a fan,as it is more about false representation.

Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, “falsely representing oneself as a consumer” (in the context of promoting a product to consumers) is deemed to be an unfair commercial practice. This amounts to a criminal offence, the maximum penalty of which is 2 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Regulations are policed by the Office of Fair Trading and Trading Standards.

Like I said the law has changed now,so AMD or Nvidia trying to do something similar now,could lead to serious problems FOR THEM.

This is why I am saying it is less likely for any UK or US based posters to be able to do this and if they were it would be a criminal offence.

It might be less of an issue in countries like China,etc or for people located in those countries.

People probably need to be more worried about the freebies reviewers are given,as that is more murky. We have seen the big song and dance about the problems with the game reviewing industry for example.

 

[Rroff]

What I'm talking about is a little different by way of example - humbug posted something on twitter asking help to refute a post I made - long story short* at some point someone working for AMD made a post along the lines of "You guys seem to know what you are talking about maybe you should go sign up and post that on OcUK". (Other than posting the original link to twitter humbug is entirely unrelated to what happened after that).


* Involving a lot of stuff on other forums.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What I'm talking about is a little different by way of example - humbug posted something on twitter asking help to refute a post I made - long story short* at some point someone working for AMD made a post along the lines of "You guys seem to know what you are talking about maybe you should go sign up and post that on OcUK". (Other than posting the original link to twitter humbug is entirely unrelated to what happened after that).


* Involving a lot of stuff on other forums.

It would come under the same remit. If AMD is paying people to dish dirt on competitors,it falls under the remits of "false advertising" in the UK which is a criminal offence. They are "pretending" to be consumers whilst getting paid on the side.

If it is just some big fans,which get nothing from AMD,then nobody can do much about it,LOL.

There is also another phenomenon on US forums though.

It appears some people are small time investors,and even a few who write investment articles for websites like Seeking Alpha,and some people thought they were spreading bunk rumours to help themselves out.

So,they are neither fans or being paid by AMD,Nvidia or Intel.

 

[Rroff]

Those are amusing articles as the first 3rd usually seems like well reasoned writing then you get to the last 3rd which is so completely poor and transparent an attempt to lead people's thinking its pitiful.

Had noticed a lot of them popping up on places like Seeking Alpha lately.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Those are amusing articles as the first 3rd usually seems like well reasoned writing then you get to the last 3rd which is so completely poor and transparent an attempt to lead people's thinking its pitiful.

Had noticed a lot of them popping up on places like Seeking Alpha lately.

But the problem is the Nvidia Focus Group was very real,and if you ever had the misfortunate of encountering Rollo you would know that.

Think Flopper,but actually more coherent and posting 10X more.He was one of the few forum members permabanned on Hexus. It was that bad.

Before I started posting on forums,I lurked quite a bit and I saw a lot of his stuff on various forums.

Then you had the video card main moderator on Anandtech forums,who was part of the program,and that got quite a few people riled up when he had to admit his affiliation. Interestingly he is not the mod there anymore.

The Nvidia Focus Group was started AFAIK due to the disaster which was the Nvidia FX.

It probably isn't as much as issue now in the UK and US,but back then it makes me wonder at times.

 

[andybird123]

I'll find out first hand how well the new laws stack up for consumers. A Nissan dealer did a bait and switch on me and are basically telling me to go stuff myself.

As its now a criminal offence i should be getting a call back from trading standards, but i wont hold my breath.

 

[Rroff]

But the problem is the Nvidia Focus Group was very real,and if you ever had the misfortunate of encountering Rollo you would know that.

Think Flopper,but actually more coherent and posting 10X more.He was one of the few forum members permabanned on Hexus. It was that bad.

Before I started posting on forums,I lurked quite a bit and I saw a lot of his stuff on various forums.

Then you had the video card main moderator on Anandtech forums,who was part of the program,and that got quite a few people riled up when he had to admit his affiliation. Interestingly he is not the mod there anymore.

The Nvidia Focus Group was started AFAIK due to the disaster which was the Nvidia FX.

It probably isn't as much as issue now in the UK and US,but back then it makes wonder at times.

Yeah I used to frequent most of those forums - not so much any more as I'm working a lot more hours and don't have the energy any more heh.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Yeah I used to frequent most of those forums - not so much any more as I'm working a lot more hours and don't have the energy any more heh.

It would be good if like with Oracle and Google,the courts make companies release lists of people they "help out".

This is what happened during the legal war between Oracle and Google.

That was eye opening to say the least.

I'll find out first hand how well the new laws stack up for consumers. A Nissan dealer did a bait and switch on me and are basically telling me to go stuff myself.

As its now a criminal offence i should be getting a call back from trading standards, but i wont hold my breath.

I would be reporting it straightaway but remember large companies like AMD and Nvidia are the sort of people the EU like to fine for millions,so they bought have to tread very lightly. Look at Microsoft and Google!!

 

[Orangey]

As of 2013 they were calling it reputation management.

Somebody spilled ze beans on MS for doing it with the xbone pre-launch.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

As of 2013 they were calling it reputation management.

Somebody spilled ze beans on MS for doing it with the xbone pre-launch.

Didn't know that.