Facebook competition - fraudulent votes

[montage]

I am looking for a few opinions on the following scenario:
If you know the competition I am referring to, please refrain from posting it in here out of respect for the company in question.

A facebook photo competition where 1 like = 1 vote was recently held.
Our club came second by a narrow margin.
We discovered the winners had obtained a large amount of "fake votes" - probably paid for online for a small sum of money.

The fake accounts are obvious, 2 friends, and all their content is shared competitions etc etc - there are hundreds of these, and the winning margin was about 100 votes. This is not just a case of us being sore losers, there is no question that we have been cheated - there really is no doubt as to these fake accounts.

We informed the company, their response was that they cannot tell exactly how many of the fake votes are fake, and therefore awarded the other club the prize - however discussions between myself and a member of the company are ongoing.

I would like some advice on where we stand 1) morally, 2) legally, 3) with FB terms and conditions, and just some opinions on what you would do about it. For now we wish to remain professional and do not wish to out the other club.

Whilst the competition was designed to be a bit of fun, the exposure for winning and cash prize is significant - and people worked hard to get the votes, so just dropping it isn't really much of an option.

Ideal outcome:

1) We are named as winners
2) the other club is publicly shamed
3) their cash prize is withdrawn, and handed to us.

Obviously number 2 is never going to happen for the sake of the company's business - but it would be nice

 

[Inertia]

Funny that you should ask about this as I had a friend post another one of these 'competitions' and I looked it up to see if anyone actually wins. I havent got far but I can tell you its against Facebooks guidelines

http://mcgregormedia.wordpress.com/...-familiarise-themselves-with-facebooks-rules/

"Facebook considers brands using prizes as an incentive for the viral sharing of their promotional content to be an “unnatural propagation of low-quality content.” It does not like seeing corporate content being passed off as social content. And there are harsh penalties if you are caught."

There is also an example of one of a particularly bad one where friends of the company 'won'

http://www.superlucky.co.uk/2013/06/greenstone-cayenne-red-and-their-scam.html

 

[Tin Pot]

I am looking for a few opinions on the following scenario:
If you know the competition I am referring to, please refrain from posting it in here out of respect for the company in question.

A facebook photo competition where 1 like = 1 vote was recently held.
Our club came second by a narrow margin.
We discovered the winners had obtained a large amount of "fake votes" - probably paid for online for a small sum of money.

The fake accounts are obvious, 2 friends, and all their content is shared competitions etc etc - there are hundreds of these, and the winning margin was about 100 votes. This is not just a case of us being sore losers, there is no question that we have been cheated - there really is no doubt as to these fake accounts.

We informed the company, their response was that they cannot tell exactly how many of the fake votes are fake, and therefore awarded the other club the prize - however discussions between myself and a member of the company are ongoing.

I would like some advice on where we stand 1) morally, 2) legally, 3) with FB terms and conditions, and just some opinions on what you would do about it. For now we wish to remain professional and do not wish to out the other club.

Whilst the competition was designed to be a bit of fun, the exposure for winning and cash prize is significant - and people worked hard to get the votes, so just dropping it isn't really much of an option.

Ideal outcome:

1) We are named as winners
2) the other club is publicly shamed
3) their cash prize is withdrawn, and handed to us.

Obviously number 2 is never going to happen for the sake of the company's business - but it would be nice

It's as simple as looking of the terms of the competition. If it's a serious competition, then they should have something about who is allowed to vote and vote rigging.

 

[Markymark]

It seems to me the process of deciding the winner via Facebook likes is flawed and you entering it must have been aware that it could easily be manipulated.

I would say let it go and next time, enter a competition with more rigorous procedures.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Let it go

 

[winjim]

What @0-markymark-0 said.

 

[montage]

The issue with letting it go, is that a few of our club members stayed up all night on occasions getting everybody they know to vote which is a fair commitment - letting it go feels like letting these people down.

The company in question has acknowledge the fake accounts, but refused to further any conversation on the matter - it would be good to tell them to suck it and not use them again next year (they are our kit provider - so gain several £1000s a year from us), but the problem with that is that their products are pretty good.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

so several people staying up all night on occasions chasing round and pushing people who otherwise have no interest or wouldn't have voted is perfectly acceptable morality and not vote buying by another name then?

 

[ufkacbln]

Sums up Farcebook really


Look at the number of companies who offer discounts if you like them the whole system is open to abuse

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Can anyone who's actively canvassed for votes point the finger at someone who's played the game that bit better?

 

[montage]

so several people staying up all night on occasions chasing round and pushing people who otherwise have no interest or wouldn't have voted is perfectly acceptable morality and not vote buying by another name then?

Can anyone who's actively canvassed for votes point the finger at someone who's played the game that bit better?

so several people staying up all night on occasions chasing round and pushing people who otherwise have no interest or wouldn't have voted is perfectly acceptable morality and not vote buying by another name then?

So party political broadcasts are on the same page as vote fixing?
I think it is commonly accepted that if people want support for a competition / election etc, they generally attempt to gather support (in fact this was obviously the goal of the company in the first place). Politics would be rather amusing if nobody mentioned when the next general election was. I where you are coming from, but you also appear to deliberately antagonistic in this comment, as I am sure you'll agree, but not admit.


Letting it go seems the sensible choice - sad to just roll over and admit that cheating does pay off though, which is the message that has clearly been sent out here.

 

[Shaun]

I think the best you can do, if an appeal hasn't worked, is ask the company to be more rigorous in its checks if it ever runs a similar competition.

You could also ask if they've be willing to give you a good discount on your clubs kit order this / next year - since they've acknowledged the rigging but are unwilling to award you the prize. It might save a few quid off your next order.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

As students you are obliged to not give a toss and go out and get mortally bladdered.

 

[vernon]

As students you are obliged to not give a toss and go out and get mortally bladdered.

And the prize for the best and most realistic solution goes to @Marmion

The competition wasn't to see who was the most popular cycling club but who could garner the most likes through fair means or foul. It might leave a nasty taste being on the losing side but treat it as a learning experience and let the matter drop until the next Facebook driven popularity competition when you too will be equipped to cheat.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

So party political broadcasts are on the same page as vote fixing?
I think it is commonly accepted that if people want support for a competition / election etc, they generally attempt to gather support (in fact this was obviously the goal of the company in the first place). Politics would be rather amusing if nobody mentioned when the next general election was. I where you are coming from, but you also appear to deliberately antagonistic in this comment, as I am sure you'll agree, but not admit.


Letting it go seems the sensible choice - sad to just roll over and admit that cheating does pay off though, which is the message that has clearly been sent out here.

I'm not being antagonistic at all, I'm calling it as I see it and there is a world of difference between a scattergun 5 minutes before the news 'advert' or postcode lottery mailshot and deliberately targetting people you have a direct relationship with to persuade them into something they obviously have no interest or awareness about if they need overnight calls cajoling them into.participating.

climb off the high horse and get a bit of perspective.