Interesting read on FTC and warner bros over shadow of mordor

[natr0n]

"Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc. has settled Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceived consumers during a marketing campaign for the video game Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, by failing to adequately disclose that it paid online “influencers,” including the wildly popular “PewDiePie,” thousands of dollars to post positive gameplay videos on YouTube and social media. Over the course of the campaign, the sponsored videos were viewed more than 5.5 million times."

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pre...-ftc-charges-it-failed-adequately-disclose-it

They should go after that dbag pewdiepie imho

 

[FordGT90Concept]

“Consumers have the right to know if reviewers are providing their own opinions or paid sales pitches,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies like Warner Brothers need to be straight with consumers in their online ad campaigns.”

If Warner Brothers told PewDiePie to disclose that he was paid and he failed to do so, it is Warner Brothers' responsibility to pursue him themselves. That said, PewDiePie wasn't the only one, only an example. FTC wouldn't have filed charges unless there was a trend in being deceitful. Warner Brothers likely didn't notify any of the people they paid that they have to be forthcoming about the fact they were paid. At face value, it looks like bribery.

 

[Maban]

PewDiePie did disclose that the particular video was sponsored. They are just using his name as click bait. I don't particularly enjoy his videos but he doesn't appear to have done anything wrong.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Oh wow, FTC fucked up. They shouldn't have named anyone (except Warner Brothers), really. FTC could get counter-sued for slander.

 

[Maban]

I quick skimmed some of the documentation and I agree that Warner Brothers did not adequately have PDP and others disclose the sponsorship. While he did disclose it in the description of the video as WB requested, if you read the definitions section of the PDF on the linked page, it wasn't enough. Specifically 2a (disclosure must be audible and visual), a little bit 2b (must stand out visually as text) and maybe 2d if that's applicable (disclosure must be unavoidable). This is mostly just an FYI to PDP and like he said in his video from now on he will disclose it in the video itself. For WB this is a binding order to make sure the people they sponsor disclose it properly.

I still think it's click baity to mention PDP by name.

 

[AsRock]

TBH i don't really care and WB had no need to pay people to give good reviews as it is a good game, Pain in the ass at the start but once you stop fighting against the game you will own it.

And as for this guy i don't watch his shit and the video above shows why more than ever, never mind that preacher BS he sounds like.

And lets face it shame on WB as good game play is not what some one else like's it's what you see and if you like it or not and if you buy a game because some one on youtube or were ever say it's the best ever and you believe them regardless of what you see with your own eye's then your a [Censored] anyways.

 

[SaltyFish]

Nothing new really. Some big company uses some YouTube "thought leaders" and/or "influencers" to shill their product and not disclose it to make the promotion more "authentic"... remember Microsoft and Machinima? It's pretty much the gamer equivalent of Kim Kardashian advertising some perfume on a daytime TV talk show.

Personally, I find a lot of people who do YouTube videos as a slimy get-rich-quick schemers. Everyone trying to dump links to their own videos everywhere with some pleading to subscribe to their channel. The recent CS:Go gambling debacle just drove it in some more.

 

[basco]

and the craziest thing is i + a lot others really liked this game-they did not have to pay someone to say its good.
even angry joe liked it

 

[kurosagi01]

and the craziest thing is i + a lot others really liked this game-they did not have to pay someone to say its good.
even angry joe liked it

Angryjoe may have got paid to say mostly positive things about the game as well,it doesn't really surprise me because his Witcher 3 review is a definite paid promotion review. Then again he gave batman arkham knight a average scoring and thats a warner bro game.

 

[basco]

i dont give to much on these reviews or opinions in general but the batman review from angry joe is hilarious if you like his review style.
baateemeeen

i just look out for should i buy this game on 1st day or not and its getting lesser + lesser

 

[Vayra86]

Said it countless times before and I'll say it again; Youtube is the cesspit of the internets and any content on it should be considered untrustworthy by definition.

The only useful information on Youtube are tutorials and how-to's. All the rest is hyper inflated junk and has been overwhelmed by commercial input. What it once was, it can't and will never be anymore because too many people are using it. It's too interesting to manipulate.

 

[rtwjunkie]

TBH i don't really care and WB had no need to pay people to give good reviews as it is a good game, Pain in the ass at the start but once you stop fighting against the game you will own it.

And as for this guy i don't watch his shit and the video above shows why more than ever, never mind that preacher BS he sounds like.

And lets face it shame on WB as good game play is not what some one else like's it's what you see and if you like it or not and if you buy a game because some one on youtube or were ever say it's the best ever and you believe them regardless of what you see with your own eye's then your a [Censored] anyways.

Damn dude, you nailed my sentiments exactly! They made a decent and fun game, so why pay for some "reviews?" There was no need for that mess.

Any game that convinces me to put 100 hours in is a success for me. Like you said, once I had the control scheme and timing down it was a blast!

 

[AsRock]

Yup, the game would beat you like a a dog until you learned. Maybe WB thought it would need it as seen as they screwed so many ATI\AMD users over with Lord Of The Rings War In The North they thought it needed it lol.

Still not been able to complete that game to some pretty wicked lag you get in parts of the game.

Maybe because of the beat downs people quit, i got close but being a LOTR fan to some degree i wanted to see the story which there wasn't much but enjoyed it all the same.

 

[yogurt_21]

don't watch his vids didn't know he promoted the game much less was paid to. Personally not against this sort of thing. All of those "real customers" promoting products on tv usually get a kick back of some sort and without "pause live tv" options of some sort you usually have no choice on whether those come on or not. But on youtube you actively clicked on the video being something you wanted to watch. If you felt the guy was dishonest, then don't view any more of those vids, easy.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

Personally I can't stand PewDiePie and, feel his followers are quite easily led (and some easily misled), but I agree with everything he said in that video.