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laureth's avatar

Are some of you paid plants?

Asked by laureth (27199points) March 5th, 2011

After reading this article, I got to thinkin’. It’s not beyond astroturfers to use social networks to get their employer’s point across, and they’ve been busted on Twitter. It makes me wonder how many Jellies are paid to rant.

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62 Answers

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

Would anyone actually admit to it? Seems like it would negate anything they’ve done…

incendiary_dan's avatar

I wish. My ranting is all pro bono. I have been looking for a way to monetize my blog, though, which would in a sense get me paid (meagerly) to rant. :P

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

I’m not paid, but I’m for hire.

laureth's avatar

@MyNewtBoobs – Of course not. But it does make me think about some folks in a possible new light. ;)

Cruiser's avatar

it’s not as glamorous as they told me it would be…plus ½ the checks bounced.

jerv's avatar

People get paid for this? Holy Batshit! Where do I sign up?

Kraigmo's avatar

I don’t think there are many, if any, paid plants here on Fluther, just based on the things I read here. People with agendas tend to get shot down real quick, as they should.

This subject does remind me of the current news that United States Central Command admits to using Personna software to create thousands of fake “people” on Facebook and other sites. CENTCOM insists they only do this in foreign areas.

I’m sure some rogue government agencies within the U.S. also do this, and I hope they and their papas go to hell.

seazen's avatar

I should be dammit.

Soubresaut's avatar

Wow. For some reason I initially read the question as “are some of you in plaid pants?” Really. I have no idea why.

Well, speaking of plaid plants, there is one brand that…

I saw someone who was trying to do that a little bit ago. It was an odd question, seemed off, so I clicked into it to see what was up. I don’t remember exactly what it was for, although I want to say it was a diet pill. The user had a link to a website selling it, and wanted to know everyone’s “opinion” on this “miracle” drug or something. I’m not phrasing it very well; it was clearly an add. I checked out the account, (the name was the name of the product) and when I hit “Back” to go report the post, it was already moderated, and the user removed.

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

Paid to bitch and whine?
Sounds delightful. ;)

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

How many of these paid plants actually do anything besides posting a stump speech or something that we would remove as spam?

jaytkay's avatar

Telling you all THE TRUTH!! is quite enough reward. All in a day’s work, no need to thank me!

Blueroses's avatar

In all honesty, it’s [****response redacted****]

mrentropy's avatar

I get paid $20 a day to disguise myself as a fern.

BarnacleBill's avatar

It’s pretty common on FB

LuckyGuy's avatar

My Chevy is the best car I ever drove. I enjoy drinking Coca Cola while shooting my Ruger LCP loaded with Remington ammo out the window. Buy American and always look for the Union label.

Dear Sponsors, I have changed my address. Please PM me here to send payment.

anartist's avatar

@mrentropy I guess you aren’t Brendan Sullivan.

jonsblond's avatar

Schlitz Brewing Co. is paying me to tell you I just opened my first Old Milwaukee and will soon commence drunk fluthering.

Blueroses's avatar

wait, wait @jonsblond let me catch up and we’ll dru-uther together!

filmfann's avatar

I was just talking about this being a possiblity with a friend of mine over at Taco Bell. She was having one of those Gordidas, and I was having the usual Burrito Supreme and a Steak Soft Taco. I tried to explain that having someone call in and pretend to complain over some subject the talk show host wanted to exploit would be as dishonest as not using real hamburger meat in those tacos (and TB uses 88% premium, with 12% secret ingredients). It’s like when you order a coke, and the waitress tells you they have Pepsi. You don’t really care, as long as it is the cola, but they are honest, and want to make sure you know what you are getting.
God Bless America, and God Bless Fourth Meal!

janbb's avatar

@filmfann Sounds like you are a paid plant or a drunken Flutherer or somethin’

I am not a real philodendron but I play one on Fluther.

MissAnthrope's avatar

@DancingMind – I read it that way, too. Haha!

JilltheTooth's avatar

How come the Plaid Pants Q came up in my “questions for you” and this one didn’t?

augustlan's avatar

I totally saw “plaid pants”, too.

I’m pretty sure we don’t have any paid plants on Fluther. We get a lot of spam (which we quickly whisk away), but that’s not really the same thing. I guess it’s possible that a plant could go unnoticed, but I don’t think they’d last very long.

aprilsimnel's avatar

Well, I’m in pants that I’ve paid for, if that matters any.

tranquilsea's avatar

I’ve suspected this for a long time.

What worries me more is the trend of companies hooking your friends to push their products on you because you are more likely to buy something if it is recommended by a friend. Like having advertising everywhere you look nowadays isn’t bad enough now you have to suspect your friends!

Blueroses's avatar

Well I’m wearing the plaid pants that y’all paid for through your generous lurve clicking and soon I’ll be able to get the argyle socks to go with them.

laureth's avatar

@augustlan – As you know, I often discuss politics on FB. Some of the opposition party basically told me, “Oh, we know you’re one of those fake astroturfers who get paid to friend people on here and talk smack about [things I disagree with].” I suppose that’s about what they’d do on here, though, just engage in the arguments like any of us do, staying true to the party line and making it appear as though more people support any given agenda than really do.

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

@laureth Which agenda was this one?

laureth's avatar

@MyNewtBoobs – In this particular case, I was supporting single-payer healthcare. However, that guy and I went round and round on a number of issues before I finally defriended him.

augustlan's avatar

You’re so passionate and articulate, I can’t imagine anyone would think you’re paid to support your positions. I’m guessing that the plants quickly get to the point where they can’t back up their assertions. Wait, now that you mention it…

SavoirFaire's avatar

I confess. I am paid by a consortium of philosophy departments, collectively known as “Big Think,” to advocate for the relevance of my academic career. No, I’m not proud of it; but it’s a job. The alternative is to join the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. ~

For what it’s worth, there really is an Unemployed Philosophers Guild.

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

@SavoirFaire Ok, here’s the problem – this implies that there are, in fact, employed philosophers who are employed as philosophers (no, you calling yourself a philosopher and thinking while you sit at your data-entry desk job playing Word With Friends all day does not count…)

SavoirFaire's avatar

@MyNewtBoobs Ha! As luck would have it, though, I left my data-entry job behind when I got into grad school. And there are at least 15 people employed as philosophers there teaching me.

I had never heard of Words With Friends before. Thank you in advance for finding something for me to do with the time I don’t spend on Fluther!

JmacOroni's avatar

Even though I’ve already read this question, and I know it doesn’t say plaid pants.. I can’t stop reading plaid pants.

Blueroses's avatar

I know. me too

rooeytoo's avatar

Does anyone know where I can buy a pair of plaid pants?

laureth's avatar

Perhaps a paid plant will come and tell us. ;)

Seelix's avatar

Am I imagining zen’s plaid pants question yesterday? I saw that, then saw this, and honestly thought it was just a play on plaid pants.

I am a paid plant, wearing plaid pants. Or am I a plaid plant, wearing paid pants?

janbb's avatar

@Seelix Questions like that make my brain ache.

marinelife's avatar

I can’t believe it. I so totally read the question as “plaid pants”. I feel better that so many others did too.

If there were paid plants, do you think they would be wearing plaid pants? Is that how we would know them?

JilltheTooth's avatar

<runs to change into nondescript sweats>

janbb's avatar

@JilltheTooth Too late – you are unmasked! Or unpanted?

tranquilsea's avatar

You can buy plaid pants at many golf stores thanks to the Norweigian curlers from the 2010 Olympic Games who revived that look. Granted those pants were more checkered than plaid but manufacturers promptly generalized.

ucme's avatar

I confess, i’m a wealthy cactus…..what a rich prick!

Dutchess_III's avatar

Paid plant? OK. I’m a philodendron and they put monies in my dirt pot. —(that was AWFUL Val!!)—-

Seelix's avatar

Those curlers’ pants were awesome.

coffeenut's avatar

lol…I was “planted” in a job once…And a few times on a radio show It was fun

anartist's avatar

I seeded a voluntary drinks pot at a museum opening. Does that make me a paid plant?

filmfann's avatar

@ucme and @Dutchess_III I would have gone with Ficus, just cause it sounds funny, and could be heard in a dirty way.

Dutchess_III's avatar

LOL! I’ll remember that @filmfann

SpatzieLover's avatar

I am not a paid plant wearing plaid pants but I do resemble this comment ;) it’s late & I’m in jammies

I’d lurve to be a paid plant if anyone’s hiring.

WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

I think I just read above that JilltheTooth isn’t wearing any pants? I’m now imagining pants on teeth…

JilltheTooth's avatar

Don’t tell my mom.

WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

What? That you put pants on your teeth? I’m so confused…

JilltheTooth's avatar

These visuals are a bit…er…odd…..

WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

And you haven’t come to expect that from me yet? tsk tsk tsk

dabbler's avatar

My Dieffenbachia isn’t making a penny off this.

MissAnthrope's avatar

A month later and I’m still reading this question title as ‘plaid pants’.

rooeytoo's avatar

@MissAnthrope – So am I, it’s strange isn’t it!! I wonder if it is because the suggestion has been plaided in my brain or my eyes simply misread it???

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