Does it bother you to see questions on Fluther that are poorly masked efforts at marketing?

Usually (most of the time) the collective IQ of the collective notices and flags.

It’s easy to get a bit paranoid too and start looking into hidden marketing behind questions. It’s happened to me wanting to post a question about a product, but wondering if people would think I was just trying to advertise.

Yes, forum marketing is an actual full time job. I unknowingly interviewed for something like that once.

I honestly had not noticed that as a problem. It could be the topics I have. I am also pretty naive sometimes.

If it bugs you I have a cure. Just send $5 to removed by me. bad joke

I don’t really think it bothers me that much as long as it seems to be relevant and creates a conversation.

It definitely can be a different issue for someplace like Wikipedia because they are trying for more on an encyclopedia rather than an open forum discussion.

What kind of money were they paying to be a forum marketer? Seems like it would be a hard thing to sell regularly, unless you had big accounts that are already doing a lot of other methods.

@fireside they weren’t paying much at all. And you’d have to live with the fact that you’re a feckless spammer. Not worth it.

@celeste – agreed.

GA for using the word “feckless”.

Feckless: ineffective, incompetent. I doubt you’d be that, but cheers for using a great word.

@Celeste: feckless- swoon

@Sue- check out “hapless,” another wonderful word.

[Fluther moderator] We work hard to try to eliminate those questions, but rely heavily on the collective to flag questionable questions. Sometimes, there is a grey area where it is difficult to tell whether someone has a legitimate question about a site (say, “has anyone ever tried this…?”). Other times, the attempts are subtle where the question is seemingly appropriate, but the answer is clearly an attempt at spam. The blatant ones get flagged and removed almost instantly. I hope that helps.

@Sueanne Tremendous I used it in the Irish sense, which pretty much means “crappy”. I luuuuv that word.

@Sue:And note that there is no such thing, as far as I know , as hapful and feckful.

feckless-also unthinking or irresponsible

Wow! I learned a new word today!!!

I also found these definitions:

feck·less (fěk’lĭs)
adj.
1. Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.
2. Careless and irresponsible.

I believe both apply to spammers.

@Loser; as I keep saying, “Stick with us, kid.”

I will! I learn so much here!!!

I once asked a question about acne product that I was desperately concerned would be viewed as marketing for a company. IIRC, in the end, I left the name of the product I used currently (that I loved) out of my question until someone asked what it was.

At this point, I’m trying a few things that others pointed out (I wonder if they worried while they were pointing me to their favorite products) and I’m glad they posted! In a month or three, I’ll probably waffle on if I should report back which products I found worked best of them.

edited to add: So I guess my point is that sometimes those “advertising questions” might be legitimate inquiries. I’m not saying all of them are or they always are, but sometimes.

@EmpressPixie, I think you can normally tell if it’s spam. It will have low lurve point(s).
It would be obvious if YOU posted a question about a product it wouldn’t be spam. I haven’t seen many, but when I have, I do recall the person being like brand new.

We have often had discussions about health, hygiene, cosmetics, beauty, etc where we mentioned specific products. Maybe it worked because we all knew and trusted each other, more or less. It has always been pretty easy to deadhead the dead heads (more or less.)

Again, I stick with my Fluther motto
Flag ‘em or Forget ‘em

@SpatzieLover man, we should make t-shirts of that motto….

I flagged a question for the first time this morning. The poser had only three points, their detail included a link to a business, and the question was ridiculous. I just looked for the question again. It was removed. My voice was heard! Thank you fluther moderators!

I saw the same post and that was the reason for this thread.

Just saw it back on the list a few minutes ago.
Flagged.

Wow, I find it eerily ironic that some people who lambaste other people for correcting spelling errors do it so eagerly themselves…

It does bother me. And have you tried the new Subway Roast Chicken Pita? (kidding)

What I really hate is what happened last night, a troll-spammer started spamming every answer over and over, in some cases what appeared to be 100’s of times, and no one was here to stop it.

I agree, I thought that was pretty childish. Then it looks like they opened a second account once their first one was banned.

It was definitely something strange to wake up and see over and over again.

@fireside it was probably a protest against getting a question or answer moderated. That’s how it usually happens. I did see one user on another site say they “declared war on Fluther”. How sick is that?

@YARNLADY – Well, that same person also posted something on wis.dm about how it was hard to find places to be a black-hearted bitch, so i guess it shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Sad that some people need to focus on the negativity in their lives.