Social Media Fakery

Bots are software applications that runs automated tasks over the internet. They are used to perform repetitive jobs, such as indexing a search engine, but they often come in the form of malware. Malware bots are used to gain total control over a computer and cybercriminals use them to steal passwords, credit card info and more for profit. The increased use of bots has resulted in fake social media accounts and misleading comments.

For marketers, technology and social media have advanced far beyond what we comprehended, and consumers are more immersed and more in control than ever before. Misleading marketing communications on social media is a real problem for marketers and it’s evident that advertisers aren’t doing enough to ensure transparency. This isn’t always intentional, far from it, but the consequences are still the same. I believe that this situation can invalidate the data and create uncertainty in the customers affecting the work of the marketers.

According to a report from The Chartered Institute of Marketing, fake reviews and misleading claims on social media are on the rise and companies are increasingly at risk of severe legal, financial and reputational damage.

Businesses face a serious risk of regulatory or legal action, but they also need to understand that the penalties for misleading customers on social media go beyond that. Brands are putting their reputation at risk too. According to MarketingTeck, 38% of people said they would lose trust in an organization or turn off from it on social media if they discovered that content the brand claimed to be real wasn’t genuine.

Reference:

https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-malware-what-are-bots.html