[samhainapples]

Do you reckon any posters on BB forums (not necessarily DS) whipping up the mass of 'VOTE FOR X' threads etc are paid by / work for parties that have commercial interests in maximising profits from voting?

(Y/N and brief reasons as to why in response pls - NO naming of specific posters/forums or linking to specific threads).

I find it hard to believe *all* are private individuals with no vested interests in increased voting revenue, tbh. (NB. Not suggesting *all* are not such private individuals - am sure the vast majority are - but can see the logic in those parties with vested interests sending in agents provocateurs to stir it up and maximise voting).

[hisdogspot]

Since most of the vote touters are recently joined fms I have wondered the same

Or maybe the housemates themselves had a pre-arranged plan for friends and family to inundate forums with 'vote for' campaigns

[samhainapples]

Um, there were 2 replies for other FMs and a further reply from me to them that seem to have disappeared on this thread

[cjandrews]

Originally Posted by samhainapples

Um, there were 2 replies for other FMs and a further reply from me to them that seem to have disappeared on this thread

I thought that! Was it something I said?

[samhainapples]

Ok - my Three Days Of The Condor moment is over.

Here they are (I seem to have double-posted the whole thread):

Originally Posted by SterlingD

No...I think they would have a better use of their resources than to engage in an activity that may have little financial pay off. I don't see a business case for engaging in that kind of behaviour. If it does occur, I would expect it to be rather limited.

Originally Posted by cjandrews

This is the wackiest conspiracy theory I have seen for a while.

Keep voting Team Deana. I just got paid £5 for posting this. I'm now going to spend it on voting for guess who.

Originally Posted by samhainapples

Boris Johnson?

I would have agreed with you re: wackiest a few years back (5+ maybe), but these days I reckon most of the voters are on the forums due to massive fall-off in general public (non-forum-frequenting) voters, hence increasing commercial sense to spend minimal amounts stirring up last minute voting fears etc on those forums.

Anyway, it's just for discussion!

Will now try to delete the other thread (Mods - pls can the thread without 'Ridiculous' in the title that mirrors this one be deleted pls? Thanks.

[Veri]

Another possibility is that people are trying to affect betting odds (aka "ramping"), with a variety of threads, not especially "vote for X" ones.

There have been some good discussions of this in the past.

[samhainapples]

Originally Posted by Veri

Another possibility is that people are trying to affect betting odds (aka "ramping"), with a variety of threads, not especially "vote for X" ones.

There have been some good discussions of this in the past.

Good point - hadn't considered 'ramping', but makes sense.

[hulakula]

Perhaps they've placed a bet. .

[Bambywamby]

Well I have spent £395.68 on voting for anybody BUT Deana to win. And I will continue to spend many more hundreds to ensure my initial £395.68 isn't wasted. Oh my poor finger, it throbs having to keep pressing the redial button.

[samhainapples]

Originally Posted by Bambywamby

Well I have spent £395.68 on voting for anybody BUT Deana to win. And I will continue to spend many more hundreds to ensure my initial £395.68 isn't wasted. Oh my poor finger, it throbs having to keep pressing the redial button.

If you're only going to spend small change like that then really - why bother?

[Bagshot85]

Originally Posted by Bambywamby

Well I have spent £395.68 on voting for anybody BUT Deana to win. And I will continue to spend many more hundreds to ensure my initial £395.68 isn't wasted. Oh my poor finger, it throbs having to keep pressing the redial button.

Pfffttttt, that's nothing.
I have spent TRIPLE that on votes for Deana to win.
Aye, I have money to waste....

[Bambywamby]

Originally Posted by samhainapples

If you're only going to spend small change like that then really - why bother?

Why would I spend more than small change? It is not as though I actually like any of the piffling plebeians. Fool.