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Are youtubers and gaming companies conspiring against us?


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Hello fellow decent gamers,

 

today I want to open a discussion about a very unfortunate occurance. By random chance I came across multiple videos of youtubers talking about the issue of youtubers getting paid fees for making reviews, without informing the audience about this.

 

The number of videos that I saw led me to believe that this might be a real phenomenon. A youtuber said that he has recieved an e-mail by a company asking for a review and what fee he charges.

 

Ive dismissed it at first. Companies paying fees for so called reviews, that is conspitorial type of thinking! When I saw more videos that adressed this issue, I was conflicted. Is it true? Are gaming companies working together with youtubers to advertise their product under the guise of a review?

 

Think about it. When you can buy off a youtuber to make a video that looks like a review when it is in fact a advertisement this could be a quite effective way to move product, at the cost of trusting personality types.

 

Is the fake review conspiracy theory true? This saddens me. Please share your thougts.

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Companies buy good publicity to make their products sell better. It is not a new phenomenon. And for video games, it has been going on way before the internet was a thing in print media. 

 

Also, please remember to include the God of the Sun and creator of everything to your conspiratorial awakenings, thank you. 

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2 hours ago, Creamhoven said:

Hello fellow decent gamers,

 

today I want to open a discussion about a very unfortunate occurance. By random chance I came across multiple videos of youtubers talking about the issue of youtubers getting paid fees for making reviews, without informing the audience about this.

 

The number of videos that I saw led me to believe that this might be a real phenomenon. A youtuber said that he has recieved an e-mail by a company asking for a review and what fee he charges.

 

Ive dismissed it at first. Companies paying fees for so called reviews, that is conspitorial type of thinking! When I saw more videos that adressed this issue, I was conflicted. Is it true? Are gaming companies working together with youtubers to advertise their product under the guise of a review?

 

Think about it. When you can buy off a youtuber to make a video that looks like a review when it is in fact a advertisement this could be a quite effective way to move product, at the cost of trusting personality types.

 

Is the fake review conspiracy theory true? This saddens me. Please share your thougts.

It's true.   It's not even necessarily in the form of cash.   The company may send gifts,  giveaway items,  or just make you a preferred influencer where you get perks like early access to products and information, lunches, etc.    If you cross the company you lose your preferred status very quickly

 

And it's nothing new.   In radio there was the "payola" scandal where record companies would pay radio stations to play their records.   That was made illegal, but it didn't really go away,  it just took a different form-  promotional items,  payments to third parties that make their way to radio stations.

 

Also watch out for reviews on Amazon and other places.   I've bought some 4.5+ star items and received crap,  there'd be some card in the product offering you a bonus for leaving a positive review or saying "if you can't leave a good review please call us instead"

 

We can't have nice things.   Sooner or later someone will figure out a way to exploit the system for their benefit, and soon everyone has to follow suit to keep up.

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2 hours ago, Creamhoven said:

I came across multiple videos of youtubers talking about the issue of youtubers getting paid fees for making reviews, without informing the audience about this.

This is an FTC Act violation (USA), YouTube has policies regarding paid placements, sponsorships, and endorsements.

 

2 hours ago, Creamhoven said:

Is the fake review conspiracy theory true?

Of course it is, so think about who you can trust on the internet.

 

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” — Abraham Lincoln 

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11 hours ago, Wayler said:

Companies buy good publicity to make their products sell better. It is not a new phenomenon. And for video games, it has been going on way before the internet was a thing in print media. 

You mean that the media was conspiring with video gaming companies all along?

11 hours ago, Wayler said:

Also, please remember to include the God of the Sun and creator

Hail Apollo!

10 hours ago, Gemintronic said:

I've been approached by pay to promote YouTubers. 

Youtubers are even approaching others with this, how desperate are they?!

9 hours ago, zzip said:

 

 

10 hours ago, Gemintronic said:

I barely register as a developer so encountering them was a sad awakening.  Don't expect the trend to get any better as content creators and users are not YouTubes priority.

What is their priority?

9 hours ago, zzip said:

It's true.   It's not even necessarily in the form of cash.   The company may send gifts,  giveaway items,  or just make you a preferred influencer where you get perks like early access to products and information, lunches, etc.    If you cross the company you lose your preferred status very quickly

I dont even know what is worse. Taking money for fake reviews because its such a blatant afront towards decency, or taking advantage of such a favorable position because it is so cheap.

9 hours ago, zzip said:

 

And it's nothing new.   In radio there was the "payola" scandal where record companies would pay radio stations to play their records.   That was made illegal, but it didn't really go away,  it just took a different form-  promotional items,  payments to third parties that make their way to radio stations.

So the radio stations and music industry are conspiring against the radio listeners as well?

9 hours ago, zzip said:

Also watch out for reviews on Amazon and other places.   I've bought some 4.5+ star items and received crap,  there'd be some card in the product offering you a bonus for leaving a positive review or saying "if you can't leave a good review please call us instead"

Okay, but this is not a conspiracy.

9 hours ago, zzip said:

 

We can't have nice things.   Sooner or later someone will figure out a way to exploit the system for their benefit, and soon everyone has to follow suit to keep up.

There needs to be an adult in the room, this happens because there is room for it.

9 hours ago, CapitanClassic said:

This is an FTC Act violation (USA), YouTube has policies regarding paid placements, sponsorships, and endorsements

Okay, but it seems to happen anyway:

https://youtu.be/CaZ4IGyf4Rc&t=4m40s

9 hours ago, CapitanClassic said:

Of course it is, so think about who you can trust on the internet.

 

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” — Abraham Lincoln 

This Abraham guy was onto something.

 

Why cant we have high trust civilisation? Why are we a society fully of petty merchants?

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2 hours ago, Creamhoven said:

You mean that the media was conspiring with video gaming companies all along?

News at 11: Publishers want to make money. If critics don't like their games, they may make less money. So they tend to ask critics to be nice with their games. Of course a good critic will always refuse to do what publishers want, but publishers can stop sending games (or invites to watch a film, this problem is not limited to video games) to the harshest critics for instance, so they have to buy games themselves and can't publish a review in advance.

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1 hour ago, roots.genoa said:

News at 11: Publishers want to make money. If critics don't like their games, they may make less money. So they tend to ask critics to be nice with their games. Of course a good critic will always refuse to do what publishers want, but publishers can stop sending games (or invites to watch a film, this problem is not limited to video games) to the harshest critics for instance, so they have to buy games themselves and can't publish a review in advance.

Okay, that is one thing, but another thing is paying fees for fake positive reviews without disclosing this information to the audience.

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7 hours ago, Creamhoven said:

Okay, that is one thing, but another thing is paying fees for fake positive reviews without disclosing this information to the audience.

Actually a law is precisely in the works right now in France or Europe (not sure) to force influencers to disclose contracts (and if they use digitally enhanced pictures).

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23 hours ago, Creamhoven said:

Are gaming companies working together with youtubers to advertise their product under the guise of a review?

Absolutely. And PC manufacturers do this too. All the advertising for fans, coolers, RGB, cases, it's all paid-for reviews. Been like this for years.

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20 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

Actually a law is precisely in the works right now in France or Europe (not sure) to force influencers to disclose contracts (and if they use digitally enhanced pictures).

Okay, but how do you prove the conspiracy?

19 hours ago, Keatah said:

Absolutely. And PC manufacturers do this too. All the advertising for fans, coolers, RGB, cases, it's all paid-for reviews. Been like this for years.

Is there anyone who isn't conspiring against us? This needs to be stopped!

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1 hour ago, Keatah said:

I would need to know more about it before spending my time on it.

Rage: Shady Merchants. Become a part of an incoherent traveling circus full of shady figures. Distract your audience by being a peculiar character like the Tattooed Man, the Elephant Man, the Woman with a beard, the Hunger Artist and many more, while you rip them off conspiring with companies to make fake reviews. Move product make cash or if you are down on your luck you can at least keep the merchandise and stay in good favors with shady buisnesses. Yes, you have heard right you can make real money or get real entertainment product for free*! All you need is a computer, a camera and moral flexitbility. Join today and get a plastic ruby and two pennies*!

 

*you don't get anything until you've moved a sufficient amount of entertainment product

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Just now, Keatah said:

Could be a while.

If you built up an audience till then, you will be in a better position to charge a fee. Stagflation, hyperinflation and economic crisis are times when cheap entertainment thrives. When modern life grinds you down Rage: Shady Merchants is there for you! We are the fire that shines the brigthest in darkness.

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On 3/25/2023 at 5:38 AM, Creamhoven said:

So the radio stations and music industry are conspiring against the radio listeners as well?

'conspiracy' is a loaded term, it often implies some level of secrecy.   The radio/music industry racket is well documented.

 

On 3/25/2023 at 5:38 AM, Creamhoven said:
On 3/24/2023 at 7:58 PM, zzip said:

Also watch out for reviews on Amazon and other places.   I've bought some 4.5+ star items and received crap,  there'd be some card in the product offering you a bonus for leaving a positive review or saying "if you can't leave a good review please call us instead"

Okay, but this is not a conspiracy.

Maybe not, but it's still an example of gaming the review system to get your product a better rating than it deserves.

 

On 3/25/2023 at 5:38 AM, Creamhoven said:

There needs to be an adult in the room, this happens because there is room for it.

But what often happens is the 'adults' can get paid to look the other way

 

On 3/25/2023 at 5:38 AM, Creamhoven said:

Why cant we have high trust civilisation? Why are we a society fully of petty merchants?

It's hard to reestablish trust once broken, and many instutions have broken it.  I think it will get worse before it gets better

 

Plus dishonesty is the norm.   Companies use "corporate speak" to obscure the truth and put a happy spin on bad news.   Politicians do something very similar.  

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2 hours ago, zzip said:

'conspiracy' is a loaded term, it often implies some level of secrecy.   The radio/music industry racket is well documented.

I mean conspiracy technically speaking. Were they coming to an agreement without making it transperant to the detrement of the public.

2 hours ago, zzip said:

 

Maybe not, but it's still an example of gaming the review system to get your product a better rating than it deserves.

Yes, and is good to know! Thanks!

2 hours ago, zzip said:

 

But what often happens is the 'adults' can get paid to look the other way

Okay, but what if we abolish capitalism (philosphically speaking, no politcal speak)

2 hours ago, zzip said:

It's hard to reestablish trust once broken, and many instutions have broken it.  I think it will get worse before it gets better

Do you think it may be better to reorganise these structures, so new ones can start from a blank slate?

2 hours ago, zzip said:

 

Plus dishonesty is the norm.   Companies use "corporate speak" to obscure the truth and put a happy spin on bad news.   Politicians do something very similar.  

Do you agree that we are spirtiually defitiant that this can manifest?

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17 minutes ago, Creamhoven said:

I mean conspiracy technically speaking. Were they coming to an agreement without making it transperant to the detrement of the public.

I think a lot of stuff happens because people are looking for ways to make their job easier,  and it's hard to turn down more money.   For a radio station programmer, you only add maybe 3-4 new songs a week to your playlist.   But dozens of songs are released every week.   How to choose?  Do you sit and listen to each one and choose the best?   That's time consuming!   What if I chose the wrong ones but the other station in town gets it right!   I lose listeners!     Along comes a rep from RCA Records (or whoever) offering cash to play his records.   He's paying the programmer at the competing station too, so that solves all my problems and gets me extra cash!

 

29 minutes ago, Creamhoven said:

Okay, but what if we abolish capitalism (philosphically speaking, no politcal speak)

Problem is human nature is corruptible and I don't know any political or economic system immune to that.   And as long as the system still uses currency (and as far as I can tell, every non-capitalist system still does), then it can be used to influence/bribe.   But even in a barter system you could still arrange bribes.

 

39 minutes ago, Creamhoven said:

Do you think it may be better to reorganise these structures, so new ones can start from a blank slate?

That's an idea in the book, "The Fourth Turning".  Human institutions break down over time,  they become corrupt,  overly bureaucratic and inefficient or lose sight of their purpose.   The ones that can't be salvaged get replaced.   This cycle repeats every 80-100 years (or about 4 generations).   Guess where we happen to be in that cycle?  Almost 80 years in.    Is the theory right?  Time will tell.

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3 minutes ago, zzip said:

I think a lot of stuff happens because people are looking for ways to make their job easier,  and it's hard to turn down more money.   For a radio station programmer, you only add maybe 3-4 new songs a week to your playlist.   But dozens of songs are released every week.   How to choose?  Do you sit and listen to each one and choose the best?   That's time consuming!   What if I chose the wrong ones but the other station in town gets it right!   I lose listeners!     Along comes a rep from RCA Records (or whoever) offering cash to play his records.   He's paying the programmer at the competing station too, so that solves all my problems and gets me extra cash!

Fair enough. Do you think it is a better choice to let out in the open supreme noblemen decide the program instead of shady merchants?

3 minutes ago, zzip said:

Problem is human nature is corruptible and I don't know any political or economic system immune to that.   And as long as the system still uses currency (and as far as I can tell, every non-capitalist system still does), then it can be used to influence/bribe.   But even in a barter system you could still arrange bribes.

Yes, it is unavoidable. I'd like to think that it is at least containable to some degree that is higher than currently, but I am a romantic.

3 minutes ago, zzip said:

 

That's an idea in the book, "The Fourth Turning".  Human institutions break down over time,  they become corrupt,  overly bureaucratic and inefficient or lose sight of their purpose.   The ones that can't be salvaged get replaced.   This cycle repeats every 80-100 years (or about 4 generations).   Guess where we happen to be in that cycle?  Almost 80 years in.    Is the theory right?  Time will tell.

I think we see it falling apart already, so I think you are onto somethink. Max Weber warned about this over 100 years ago.

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4 minutes ago, Creamhoven said:

Fair enough. Do you think it is a better choice to let out in the open supreme noblemen decide the program instead of shady merchants?

Then the next problem is who decides the who the supreme noblemen are and who do they serve?   In the case of radio,  technology has moved on and made it so radio aren't the gatekeepers they once were.  TikTok, Spotify or some TV show are more likely to make the next hit.

 

10 minutes ago, Creamhoven said:

Yes, it is unavoidable. I'd like to think that it is at least containable to some degree that is higher than currently, but I am a romantic.

I think we used to do a better job overall at it than we do now (or at least they hid the shady nonsense better)

 

12 minutes ago, Creamhoven said:

I think we see it falling apart already, so I think you are onto somethink. Max Weber warned about this over 100 years ago.

Yeah, there are a number of these "cyclical" theories come to similar conclusions

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