I'm wondering what other people think of posts like this one:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1545559&page=1

It's possible it will have been removed by the time you see this (if Tek-tips management agree), as I've red-flagged it, so here's a summary: It was from a person who has only ever started one thread, and never written a single thing elsewhere in tek-tips, who joined tek-tips within the last couple of days. The author declares they "recently came across" a wonderful new service offered by a wonderful website. Of course I can't prove a thing, but can't help wondering whether the author "recently came across" the website their own company wrote.

Posing as a member of the public in order to write rave reviews of your own business or product is already illegal in some parts of Europe (authors reviewing their own books under a false name, restaurant owners praising their own food etc.).

Personally I've noticed a growing trend in message-board sites for one-off messages from people clearly advertising their own product. I think it's unethical and unhelpful, and possibly bordering on illegal. Perhaps I'm unfair. What do others feel? Should I carry on red-flagging, or am I being unjustifiably suspicious?

Just to be quite clear, I would have no problem with someone writing a one-off post saying "I/my company have just introduced this lovely service we think you might like". It's advertising, but it's honest.

With respect to the referenced post, I agree that nothing can be proved and given your description, I suspect the post has been edited.  That being said, I have no problem with the post as it stands.

Quote:

Just to be quite clear, I would have no problem with someone writing a one-off post saying "I/my company have just introduced this lovely service we think you might like". It's advertising, but it's honest.

Whereas I agree it's honest, it's still advertising, and promoting and selling are not permitted in Tek-Tips.  That post should be red-flagged just as one which fits the description you provide.

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I too have seen an increasing number of these types of posts in the last few months on Tek-Tips and elsewhere.  I've red flagged about a half dozen since the beginning of the year on Tek-Tips alone.  All have been deleted by management.  Usually the tip off that its advertising is either as lionelhill stated - a new user with only one post or reply - or the poster actually uses the product's name or website name as their handle.

Cheers.

That makes me feel less guilty about my trigger-happy approach to red-flagging this sort of thing! Thanks.

Keep the red flags coming... I hate seeing lame attempts to advertize products within discussions...

The intent of this site (imho) is to facilitate technical discussion to advance knowledge and help resolve issues.  I've had my project timelines saved by site members who provided me with insight to an issue.  Likewide, I have returned the favor by attempting to answer some questions myself.  tia,  

Steve Medvid
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I flag posts such as that without a second thought.

If it comes up in a discussion where a person asks "How can I do X?" and another poster (with a history of non-advert posts) says "I happen to work for a company that does that...", in my opinion that is not advertising (although I'm sure some would disagree).

However, I have seen some posters who pop in, post one (or sometimes more) ads, and then disappears.  I view these as a plague and they should be eradicated.

I find nothing wrong w/ tooting ones' own horn.

I have a successful restaurant, and in the beginning I posted a comment on my website.

Why?  because I truly believed that one of my items was good, and I was extremely proud of what I had achieve.

Did it work?  Yes.
Customer came in based on my description, and kept coming back.

So if someone post a lie, Boo on them.  But if the post is true, let it rang out loud

Truth is irrelevant if a post is made under a false screen name to misrepresent the poster.  If the forum is a customer comment section, people should only be seeing genuine customer feedback.

Jeff
It's never too early to begin preparing for International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks,  The software I write sucks.  It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me

I've red flagged anything like that when it comes up.  If you feel a post is questionable, flag it.  Let the site moderators sort it out because that's their job.  If the let it stand, so be it, but at least you've done your part.

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SwitchWitch,

I don't have any problem with you posting on your own website if you say "The restaurant-owner here: I've cooked up this reaaaallly good soup this week; drop in and try it!". My problem is people posting "hey, we found this little restaurant while we were on holiday, it's really good...", as though they were just members of the public who'd dropped in. It's misleading, and in Europe, I believe illegally so.

Actually, since I started this thread, I haven't seen many more miscreants trying it on. Perhaps this is a trick everyone sees through nowadays.