Astroturfing

[sensei8]

My wife brought this to my attention tonight. It seems that the owner of where she works is engaging in the practice called Astroturfing. 

Astroturfing is when a business falsifies reviews on a website. It’s a very deceptive way to earn consumers trust.

The FTC actively monitors and penalizes businesses engaging in astroturfing. The FTC might send a cease-and-desist letter to a business and/or fine a business $16,000 per day for those that violate its "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". 

How my wife discovered that her boss was Astroturfing was when my wife read a review about the business she works out, and the review that was written was in my wife’s name…my wife never wrote any reviews anywhere about the business she works at!! 

Not cool whatsoever!!

Makes me wonder how much of this practice is permeated in the MA?? 

 

[Spartacus Maximus]

It would not be a surprise knowing how common dishonest practices are in the martial arts world. As you have said more than once, martial arts schools are businesses, and no matter what they sell or provide things if it can happen then it probably does. 

[bushido_man96]

It probably does happen, but I'm willing to believe that it isn't pursued a lot.  The ones that do do it, though, will cast an ill shadow on the rest of the industry, which sucks.

[Patrick]

I actually think it's pretty widespread because enforcement is rare, I suspect that is within the martial arts world, too. You really have to be very blatant to get caught, so I suspect most don't expect there will ever be any repercussions. 

[sensei8]

3 hours ago, Patrick said:

I actually think it's pretty widespread because enforcement is rare, I suspect that is within the martial arts world, too. You really have to be very blatant to get caught, so I suspect most don't expect there will ever be any repercussions. 

Their blatant disregard for the law will be their downfall the very moment the FTC comes knocking on their door.

[KarateKen]

On 2/3/2025 at 7:40 PM, sensei8 said:

My wife brought this to my attention tonight. It seems that the owner of where she works is engaging in the practice called Astroturfing. 

Astroturfing is when a business falsifies reviews on a website. It’s a very deceptive way to earn consumers trust.

The FTC actively monitors and penalizes businesses engaging in astroturfing. The FTC might send a cease-and-desist letter to a business and/or fine a business $16,000 per day for those that violate its "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". 

How my wife discovered that her boss was Astroturfing was when my wife read a review about the business she works out, and the review that was written was in my wife’s name…my wife never wrote any reviews anywhere about the business she works at!! 

Not cool whatsoever!!

Makes me wonder how much of this practice is permeated in the MA?? 

 

I think it is rather common in a lot of types of businesses, people who own the place making fake reviews to prop it up.  Corruption is everywhere.  I once had a friend who asked me to write a bogus review of a restaurant he worked at because he was furious about the ownership but did not want his name on it because he would get fired and it would hurt his chances getting a job somewhere.  I didn't do it and we eventually stopped being friends.  I didn't appreciate the suggestion that I should lie about my experience as a customer so he could make his boss look bad. Ridiculous.

I've never personally experienced or heard about it in MA.  I hope they bust the person impersonated your wife online to serve themselves, that is outrageous. 

[Wastelander]

Well, I know that it's quite common to solicit students to leave reviews, but I don't think most martial arts schools are astroturfing. It definitely DOES happen, on occasion, though. One of the karate schools my late Sensei had trained at as a kid did it once Yelp became big. They also left completely false negative reviews of my late Sensei's dojo.