Bloggers or Floggers? Undercover advertising exposed

Author

Geneviève Grenier

Organization

Option consommateurs

Published

2012

Summary

Since 2006, there has been an explosion in the use of social media. A 2011 study confirms that social media have become an important source of information for consumers. Everything points to the fact that companies are turning to social media in addition to other more traditional modes of communication in an effort to attract consumers' attention.

However, a number of questionable business practices are current in the social media. Among these are “flogging” (creating fake blogs) or “astroturfing” (using a pseudonym and a false identity to interact with consumers). Increasingly, companies are resorting to these practices as marketing and publicity tools. They pass themselves off as private citizens, and in so doing, mislead consumers. This is the main reason why such practices are condemned by marketing and public relations experts.

The aim of this study is to identify the phenomena of flogging and astroturfing, to determine their legitimacy and ethical value, to analyze their impact on consumers, and finally, to make
recommendations to legislators to ensure that Canadians are protected against such practices.

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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

Contact information

Source: Consumer Policy Research Database