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(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Carlo Longino

Wed, Feb 22nd 2006 8:36am





I'm Getting Rug Burn From All This Astroturf

from the lying-cheating-and-generally-full-of-it dept

Telephone companies have been pretty aggressive in their astroturfing to try to drum up support for their entrance into the television business, whether it's sending fake letters to local officials or getting people to complain about their cable company in exchange for a free iPod. DSL Reports points out that the cable companies have fired back by pointing out all this astroturfing on a site called "PhoneyBaloney.net" that highlights several different front groups the telcos are using. That's all well and good -- except, of course, the cable companies like to astroturf, too. So, in this fight, it sounds like you can't believe anything anybody says -- which ends up being helpful how?

9 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    drum up business?

    identicon
    jdw242, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 9:42am

    looks like the lamers would drum up business by, oh, I don't know, being competitive and offering lower priced products like DSL Ultra for $30/month, or directly competing with each other by pointing the other's problems. (such as Cable being shared by all that hook to the local box where DSL is full speed direct to your machine).

    C'mon children; stop being babies.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Chris H, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 10:12am

    I love my DSL. Long live DSL! Long live DSL! At least until something cheaper/faster/more reliable comes along.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    hmm

    identicon
    Bokou, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 10:20am

    that's too bad, funny site though

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Why should we pay for your product/service?

    identicon
    dani, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 10:25am

    I have a problem with companies who can only sell their own products or services by bad-mouthing everyone else's.

    Don't tell me what's wrong with the competitions' product, tell me what's so great about yours. If I'm using the competition, I should already know how bad they suck! Convince me your product is better if you really expect me to switch.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: Why should we pay for your product/service?

    identicon
    Jeff, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 10:40am

    i agree with dani. if you can't tell me why your product is better than someone elses and all you can do to promote your shit is to slam other companies, it can't be a good product. you'll never hear a candle company telling people that lamps suck.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    FiOS

    identicon
    spasmodo, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 10:41am

    Well the telcos (Verizon) wooed me back by installing fiber in my area, and offerring a faster service than Comcast, for less money. I am eagerly awaiting TV over fiber, then there will be some much needed competition in that arena as well.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Who?

    identicon
    Ben McNelly, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 10:55am

    Who rips people off more? Cable companies or Giant telcos? Who is more underhanded? Irritating? God Forsaken?
    - Its a tossup.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 11:54am

    Competition by Legislation = Consumers Lose

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Re: Why should we pay for your product/service?

    identicon
    googly_eyes, Feb 22nd, 2006 @ 2:08pm

    Actually if we could get politians to follow your proposal, we'd all be in a sight bit better world...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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