FLOGS A BRIEF HISTORY OF FAKES FOOLS ASSN

FLOGS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF FAKES & FOOLS ASS’N OF THE BAR, CITY OF NEW YORK, KEN DREIFACH, KEN@ZWILLGEN. COM ZWILLGEN, PLLC APRIL 30, 2013 Ken Dreifach Zwill. Gen, PLLC ken@zwillgen. com

Sockpuppets, Astroturf & Flogs: An Introduction Background What are these things? “Astroturfing” = fake grass(roots) Reviews, posts, “Sockpuppet” = fake online identity “Flog” = fake blog (undisclosed sponsor) Purpose: Create buzz, viral marketing, influence decision-makers

Does is really matter (& Isn’t the Internet fake anyway. . . ? These devices mimic influential groups: � Consumers � Peers � Journalists

A Brief History of Astroturfing . . . Cassius “Astroturfs” Brutus: I will this night, In several hands, in at his windows throw, As if they came from several citizens, writings. . .

Walt Whitman reviews Walt Whitman circa 1855 = Leaves of Grass - - reviewed by Anonymous “as if all the sounds of earth and hell were tumbled promiscuously together”

Political Sockpuppetry Lloyd Bentsen: “A fellow from Texas can tell the difference between grass roots and Astroturf. . . this is generated mail. ” Discussing mail supporting insurance cmpanies, 1985.

WHO’S ASTROTURFING NOW?

Book and Product Reviews “The Best Book Reviews Money Can Buy, ” NY Times (August 26, 2012) Gettingbookreviews. com: $499 = 20 reviews $999 = 50 reviews April 2013: Samsung apologizes for posting fake (negative) reviews of HTC devices Hired students to do it

Political Sockpuppetry Former SF Mayor Newsom’s Chief of Staff Disguised blogs, posts “It was fun -- it's [the Internet is] where people are having fun. " But "there's probably a different standard for me. “ Russian youth group Nashi – payments to bloggers, journalists and others online to flatter Putin and discredit rivals.

Flogging Across America “Wal-Marting across America” Blog (2006) Laura & Jim in an RV, staying in Wal-Mart lots Failed to Disclose Wal-Mart sponsorship

Whitman to Wal-Mart: Why Now? Social Media Viral, crowd-sourced Big Data “influencers” (and cheap labor) are cheap and easy to find Need for online monetization Entertainment is consumed online Ad dollars & techniques are still catching up Online ad models are still evolving