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Hey virals - quit it.
- Thread starter bishoptl
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Aquamarine
Member
I wonder how many hired Microsoft astroturfers have been banned from GAF in 2014.
BreakinBad
Neo Member
This is an admin post calling out someone by name as a Microsoft astro-turfer in a new and dedicated thread...and NeoGAF wonders why the community is accused of bias at times.
I also don't see any actual connection to Microsoft. Just some very pro-Microsoft tweets and re-tweets. This, to me, just looks like an extra-fanatical fan (of which there are many on the interwebs) doing what they do. But even it it's not and the user was 100% a Microsoft employee, all this thread does is encourage users to harass others who might have opinions against the popular one and foster an atmosphere of witch-hunts.
I also don't see any actual connection to Microsoft. Just some very pro-Microsoft tweets and re-tweets. This, to me, just looks like an extra-fanatical fan (of which there are many on the interwebs) doing what they do. But even it it's not and the user was 100% a Microsoft employee, all this thread does is encourage users to harass others who might have opinions against the popular one and foster an atmosphere of witch-hunts.
Naughty Gods is as stupid.
DoktorEvil
Banned
https://mobile.twitter.com/herrliterat
I know fuck all about this guy, but I dislike him with every fibre of my being.
Seriously, I've never seen someone kiss so much ass to one company and suck them off so much as he does from "Deutschland".
If he was trying to get people to buy xbones, he can go fuck himself. It's not even like he's pretending.
I know fuck all about this guy, but I dislike him with every fibre of my being.
Seriously, I've never seen someone kiss so much ass to one company and suck them off so much as he does from "Deutschland".
If he was trying to get people to buy xbones, he can go fuck himself. It's not even like he's pretending.
Dragonborn
Member
I'm pretty sure they did: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...gamer-playstation-4-will-not-block-used-games
They also said the PS4 wouldn't need an internet connection. So yea, people just refused to listen and went on with Sony Too.
I thought this was amusing.
the steps
The mythical "power cycling" fixes all black screen, voice recognition, and blu-ray issues.
Haha
"have you tried turning it off and on again"
dragonbane
Member
Seems like he really got hired later in the year and then suddenly changed his tune lol Because earlier in 2013 he posted stuff like this:
Doubt a viral marketeer would go this far, unless it was all a plan. Would be funny if he was a Sony viral first, but then he switched over to MS lol
Doubt a viral marketeer would go this far, unless it was all a plan. Would be funny if he was a Sony viral first, but then he switched over to MS lol
Bias, for a thread acknowledging and outing an astroturfer? Me no comprende
I used to point fingers and go witch-hunting shortly after the DRM thing, but have since learned that the mods have a much better handle on who is or isn't a shill than I ever will in my time here. I don't see this thread as inciting a witch hunt, I see it as an acknowledgment that the site still has its share of shills. Keep in mind that astroturfers can derail a topic in order to steer discussion away from an unfriendly discussion towards whatever it is they're trying to promote. That is toxic and we need to remember that it exists. An occasional thread outing an astroturfer serves as an excellent reminder.
runnin_blue
Banned
If he's not linked to MS, then why has he posted a pic on Twitter of him playing Titanfall with a Titanfall Xbox One controller?
https://mobile.twitter.com/herrliterat/media/grid?idx=1&tid=434681263229009920
Excuse me if I am wrong, I just thought the Titanfall controller hasn't been released yet and I don't really understand Twitter lol. But that's what it looks like to me.
This guy is without a doubt an austroturfer. Still, I agree that it really doesn't help GAF's image when a thread like this is posted, especially when other companies viral on here as well.
Mine (Mortal Kombat) wasn't the last one, but I did received a lot of flack and was accused to be paid by WB.
It was fun making it (though proof reading wasn't ,there are still some typos here and there since i wrote mostly everything aside the official character bios) and had a laugh when I asked bish for permission about the amount of posts..and as I posted the OT, I just put a pic of bish message saying anyone posting before I was finished would be banned...so noone posted anything. XD
Around AC Revelations people got enough and some time later it was put as a rule.
And yeah, people need to cover their tracks...reminds me of the Jeff Bell thing.
Saw my name-dropping extended past the first page. Let me clarify a few things.
Oh wow, collateral damage
I'm glad the mods got you sorted out and that you're a good sport about it.
Spring-Loaded
Member
I thought this was amusing.
the steps
The mythical "power cycling" fixes all black screen, voice recognition, and blu-ray issues.
https://twitter.com/SuicidalSteve/status/436399323627405312
KingOfLimbs
Neo Member
If the problem of astro-turfing didn't exist there wouldn't be fanatical witch-hunts. And it's not encouraging harassment. There have been bans for that too. It encourages resourcefulness to find shills and whatnot, if anything.
True, but they're at least worthy of the praise.
qualitydisc
Member
Did a reverse image search on this guy and found out he also uses the handle derliterat
http://zhinsta.com/profile/1015731132/
Apparently he's been over at the Double Helix forums complaining that their forum doesn't load on "IE 11 in Windows 8.1" and they need to fix it for that subset of Microsoft users.
http://www.doublehelixgames.com/for...14-update-w-dev-notes.6320/page-9#post-127147
http://zhinsta.com/profile/1015731132/
Apparently he's been over at the Double Helix forums complaining that their forum doesn't load on "IE 11 in Windows 8.1" and they need to fix it for that subset of Microsoft users.
http://www.doublehelixgames.com/for...14-update-w-dev-notes.6320/page-9#post-127147
CambriaRising
Member
I wonder why games journalism doesn't try to investigate this shitty practice.
....
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Oh, right.
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Oh, right.
Dragonborn
Member
I'm sure if astroturfers for other companies were found, they'd receive the same treatment.
Yoshida's answer was directly:
Shuhei Yoshida said:
That was not a confirmation of being able to play used games without DRM. And while Eurogamer didn't believe Sony had any tech for blocking used game sales, famousmortimer had inside info that was contrary to what Eurogamer believed. I wish I could find the thread, it was the precursor to the #noDRM thread..
Shots fired!
Aquamarine
Member
He wouldn't have been banned if he wasn't determined by the mods to be an astroturfer.
There's been loads of cases of astroturfing. It's pretty evident when it's being done and this is one of those times.
People need to get over the "OMG GAF IS SUCH A SONY FANBOY HAVEN" claim. There has undoubtedly been instances where other company astroturfing has been banned as well.
It's pretty self-evident why we're seeing a lot of astroturfing from Microsoft: the Xbox One has received a massive amount of negative PR since its announcement, and astroturfing is a proven method of damage control.
If the circumstances were different...like if Sony was the one with a ton of negative PR, I have no doubt we'd see admin posts calling out a recent example of Sony astroturfing.
KingOfLimbs
Neo Member
I'd call out a Sony or Bethesda shill any day. Viral marketing isn't viral anymore.
I see nothing wrong with calling out and exposing astroturfers. They do nothing but poison the well of discussion and contribute to the atmosphere of witch hunts. NeoGAF was flooded with blatant marketing shills last year, so it's understandable that the community have a very low tolerance and high suspicion of overly enthusiastic juniors.
If you want to blame someone for any "witch hunts", blame MS, as they actively encourage it when they flood a community with poisonous shills.
Hoho for breakfast
Member
That's the whole thing that some people just don't seem to (or want to) get. I wouldn't put it past Sony for a second to do this type of thing if they needed to. The difference is that they don't. Read that again if you must over and over and let it sink in.
I see so much outside of Neogaf (and even right here) about "Neogaf" being biased toward Sony and yada yada. They for whatever reason refuse to understand that the good news simply favors Sony at this point in time (better multi plat games, price, sales numbers). The facts people want to know/hear support the PS4 (cheaper, more powerful).
It's like if we were a board talking about different dish washers. Some are better than others and so some would be praised more than others. Period. It's simply the way that it is.
What I'm trying to say is that a lot of the positivity toward Sony and a lot of the hate toward MS are not due to any bias, but due to simple facts.
bish is just power cycling his account dont worry
It wouldn't be Nelson and Penello directing this. It'll be an outside firm that somebody at MS hired to coordinate the low level grunts like the dude who was banned.
Imperfected
Member
The mods don't determine who's a shill and who isn't a shill on the basis of "witch hunts" or popular opinion, or there are some very noticeable members who would have been sent packing a very long time ago. They have access to information we don't have - including an e-mail address that should be trackable to an actual person, given the nature of GAF's rules regarding the e-mail you sign up with - that factors into the decision.
Does it mean Microsoft is going to face even more skepticism whenever anyone comes out in support of their products? Yes, certainly. That might be something they should have considered as a possible consequence of this course of action, though, just like they probably should have thought about whether or not the discovery of the YouTube "neutral or positive" CPM program would lead to most popular YouTubers doing 0 XB1 videos for the foreseeable future.
Maybe they should think about a lot of things before they put their foot in them.
DryvBy
Member
They hire first-party shills.
Aizu_Itsuko
Member
"Seriously guys, think about it!"
Holy... he copy/pasted one of his posts? These guys are getting lazy.
Now, in a more serious note, don't these companies realize that the harder they try the worse it becomes? Just focus on the positives and making moves that benefit your current and potential customers (or at the very least treat them with some respect). Most people react positively to things like that, instead of reading/hearing the same PR BS over and over again (in all shapes and forms).
Now, unleash the bish.gifs!
Holy... he copy/pasted one of his posts? These guys are getting lazy.
Now, in a more serious note, don't these companies realize that the harder they try the worse it becomes? Just focus on the positives and making moves that benefit your current and potential customers (or at the very least treat them with some respect). Most people react positively to things like that, instead of reading/hearing the same PR BS over and over again (in all shapes and forms).
Now, unleash the bish.gifs!
maybe it's 3 am but I am laying down in bed giggling like an idiot. Thanks.
Syphon Filter
Member
you going to jail now.
Every major company does. Whether they get caught is the interesting part.
If he got hired to do viral marketing and then get caught, how long do you last before being fired for it?
We don't do witch-hunts. Peeling back the curtain every now and then is a good reminder that this forum is a target, and you should be cognizant of who's saying what.
As for the forum being seen as biased...I've seen it through 3 console gens now. That noise will ebb again as it always has. No matter what hardware you're particular to (or what games you've worked on - I'm living proof), we all take it in the ear at one time or another on NeoGAF.
As for the forum being seen as biased...I've seen it through 3 console gens now. That noise will ebb again as it always has. No matter what hardware you're particular to (or what games you've worked on - I'm living proof), we all take it in the ear at one time or another on NeoGAF.
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