Giveaways are now under some scrutiny thanks to my bit of research. Also if you would like to call my integrity, ethics, and standards into question I am all about it. I will personally share with you the IP, email, and original quality of my findings. I in NO WAY alter, doctor, Photoshop, or adjust anything I post unless the doctoring is to protect innocents such as underage minors, children, or those who fall under privacy laws.
Now, I mentioned how I would post criterion for giveaways, some tell-tale signs of fraudulent giveaway hosters or at the very least would place them in a particular negative light, and I feel I cannot post adequate information without gathering additional data. A good researcher pulls information from various sources.
So I am asking you to come here and link up the blogs you find are questionable. Then we can ALL review them, see what qualities they carry that would suggest they are honest, ethical, and legitimate. This is not a witch hunt. Let me make that VERY clear, this is about setting a level of ethics. While blogging is a bit like the wild, wild west and the right channels have yet to catch up to the wave of rampant vigilante activity, we have to resort to means within ourselves to set a standard of legitimate, ethical, honest operation. Feel free to link me up if you think I am in question, I would be happy to point you to my winner listings, even the listings when I was on Blogger and I was a blogspot address.
Again, link them up, let’s review them together, let’s discuss the matter at hand. Then we can post an in depth guide, suggestions, ideas, as to what bloggers can do to further promote TRUE ethical blogging and stop abusing their power of influence. Please, do not use this for giveaways to promote your blog, this is for informational purposes and to allow people to report bloggers in an anonymous fashion without retaliation on my blog. My blog is a SAFE environment.
**LINK REMOVED DUE TO ABUSE** (4/23/10)
If you have something you need addressed to myself or anyone else you need to grow a set of balls and handle it with them. I tried to be a resource but clearly people cannot be adults. Again, if you have a beef with me….own up or get the fuck off my blog.
Why post about others “questionable” bloggers anonymously? People shouldn’t {have to} be afraid of repercussion and should have the balls to call people out, imho.
I personally use PS to blur out emails when I post screenshots of comments and use Picnik to “pretty” things up. If that’s considered a red flag with giveaway ethics, than I’ll go ahead and put myself on the list LOL 😀
I get that there’s a big sh*t storm brewing about giveaway ethics, I think I’ll just grab my umbrella and rainboots and keep dry.
LMAO Erin! You know using PS to blur an email for privacy issues should not be questionable, if that is what your intent of using PS is for. Where others are using the program for uses to falsify screenshots, more or less manufacturing from scratch. Prettying things up, well, again if you are not manufacturing a winner for the purpose of allowing a friend to win…should not be an issue. I agree though…people should be able to FREELY state their opinions without retaliation, but unfortunately in the world of “mommy blogging” they would cut your eyes out and feed them to pigs JUST for saying ANY opinion. I have galoshes too if you want to share?
Guess I’m out of the loop on this one. I’m not quite sure what it is that needs questioned or put out in the open. I’m being serious when I ask what it is that bloggers are doing that is unethical or questionable. This is something new to me and certainly something that I don’t want to be portrayed as having done.
Terra, bloggers are rigging giveaways, back biting, need I say more? Check out my previous post called “Sweepin for Traffic” and you will know what I mean. Also if you don’t want to be portrayed as so, just putting this out there, maybe you might want to look at why you are truly concerned as to why people would consider you unethical? Not being nasty, just a question for reflection.
Good for you. I even did a post, linking up to your giveaway scam call out, and such. I wanted to spread the word so that innocent people weren’t taken in by greedy cheaters,
I see a storm brewing. I’m with you in it, although I’m not as savvy on all of it. I just walk around blogosphere aimlessly pretending everyone is nice.
Allie, I tried to do the same thing…until I was attacked. I saw the ugly bitches for who they really are; ugly, negative, pathetic, back biting, devious bitches! I have learned where my safe havens are…your blog, other blogs, etc. I stay there.
I reformat the numbers from random.org..I hope that doesn’t add me to the list. I just like it pretty and not all spaced out!
It’s really sad that people are doing this, but if there is a sneaky way of doing things, people will certainly figure it out.
You know..this got me thinking about something. Do you think that the sponsors are really even caring? I have a feeling some of them are, but I bet some don’t because they are getting traffic and interest in their product, right? Does that make sense?
You know, personally I could care less if sponsors care, the truth of the matter is operating at noble standards. Regardless if sponsors want to continue to pimp out their swag and still not play by the rules of fairness and equality. Besides, I bet sponsors WILL CARE if they see that they are facilitating in illegal activities AND that the FTC will be chomping on the new information about how they are truly NOT full disclosure on giveaways.
You know I have your back Goob. I would hope though that if someone finds something questionable about winners of my giveaways that they ask me directly. KWIM?
Currently for me, it is one blogger who had a contest end 4/12. Apparently she is having issues- for now I will believe that- for another week anyway. The upsetting part is none of my tweets from 3/18-4/12 are showing and some other peoples are showing up to 4/12.(end date) I tweeted daily for her contest. If I have ever entered your blog contests, you bloggers know I do enter daily if it is a daily entry- I am OCD OK? 🙂
Twitter only ‘holds’ for one week- I did record 2 before they disappeared.
Now, of course I feel even if she DOES use random.org, it sure the heck won’t come up with my name, because I questioned her.
I do understand family comes first, things happen, etc… but to approve some and not others is not right.
Just emailed her FOR THE 2nd time- and asked why none of my tweets for 24 days were showing as well as an entry for following on NB and emailing friends.
If I dont hear back within 3 days I do intend to post her name here as well as her blog name.
Ellen, so sorry to hear about this…bloggers need to understand that when they post rules they need to adhere to those rules, be clear and concise, if not, don’t post a giveaway you can’t even adhere to your own rules.
Oddly enough, within a day after the above post I get an email… apparently someone was reading and likely figured out who I was referring to. Said blogger is upset I am questioning her.
I was actually not so much questioning her as I was questioning why some were showing and others weren’t. The other funny thing is the ones showing were entries by fellow bloggers. (please dont assume us lowly folks who pump your numbers don’t know your IDs- we do)
So it’s nice bloggers ‘talk amongst’ themselves and go running to tell that someone has posted something that might pertain to them.
I am tired of the silly high school BS games. If I can’t post something (and I am using my real name and do have only one ID) well to hell with it, I won’t post at all in response to this crap from a non blogger standpoint. You all can talk amongst yourselves and get no input from someone who doesn’t have a blog and just enters contests. It can turn into some little social club where you all enter each others contests and pull each others names outta hats.
I am sick to death of the cheating, the lying, the being nice to people faces and the fricking tap dancing that happens on both the bloggers end and the people who enter the giveaways.
I hope to hell for some of the bloggers sponsors start paying more attention, and for the people that enter- well you all know who you are using multiple IDs. I would hope the bloggers track your butts down and do some banning.
I wanted to ask Karie to take my above post down, but that would be the chickenshit way out. Let it stay, and this also. I will expect random.org and any other method used not to have my name roll around because of ruffled feathers. So be it.
And the blogger in question in my case has NOT been put on said ‘list’ as of yet
Blogger has been playing on Facebook posting there but as of 4/24 , a full 12 days after contest end has yet to announce winners from 4/12.
I don’t expect anyone to drop everything and run to their blogs the minute something ends, but good grief, 12 days? Nothing posted on blog, no past winners displayed.
I like alot of the bloggers I have met, and am giving this a bit more time and just watching to see what happens.
The above? Well getting emails knowing someone here either ran right to her or figured out who it was ticked me off.
Everything I enter for, I need or would like to try-some of us don’t live on ‘easy street’ and it’s nice to get things perhaps I normally wouldnt have a chance to. I try to thank each and every blogger/sponsor whenever I am lucky enough to win something- I know on the bloggers end it takes time to set up, etc, but you bloggers have to realize that folks entering are following you, spending their time commenting (or whatever you require) and most are honest ,follow the rules and play fair. We are the folks who pump your blog numbers up, your facebook fans up, your twitter followers up and take the time out of our day to read and comment. Without your readers you would have no sponsors- or very few since it is partially based on your readership(numbers)
So if you run a contest, show some consideration. If something ends , be timely. You expect your readers to respond in a set amount of time, please practice the same standards yourself.
I am debating whether to even include the blogger on the list here – as the ‘list’ looks like a bunch of bloggers playing high school games adding each others names in an attempt to make each other look bad. Some of you I know and am surprised, and disappointed in…… there was some hope that it could have been a resource.
The only thing I am glad of is that Karie, although she may be playing some of the same games (at times) is choosing not to use her admin status and editing.
Ellen, I can understand your frustrations and I can see your point. However, I don’t have time for games. If I did….I would have edited EVERYTHING in everyone’s comments, on the McLinky, everything. Really, I have no time for people and their emotional tirades. Either shit or get off the pot. If someone feels I am questionable….tell me where! SHOW ME your proof…otherwise, you are just a coward or a bent coward adding my name to a Linky.
But again, I see your point and I do agree, however, the games….I don’t have time and if you know the blogger ADD THEM! I won’t. I will not add any bloggers, this was meant to be a resource and at this point, I am growing tired of being everyones fucking punching bag because NO ONE but me had the fucking balls to say anything about the issue. End of story.
I replied again, and it didn’t post….
I do want to say I have not posted the blogger that was referred to in the links. Why you ask? Because the links here aren’t for anyone’s benefit, all I am seeing is a bunch of grown women acting like high school sillies posting each others blogs back and forth and it’s not accomplishing anything.
The links aren’t particularly informative, they certainly aren’t serious and they basically provide no information to anyone.
I honestly came here with a problem with a blogger- wondering what the next step should be, and here it has turned into a crock of crap (again) amongst you all.
May I suggest BEFORE any name is added you show some proof? Perhaps have examples of unethical or questionable behavior?
Good grief, is this how you want to be perceived? You all are better than this aren’t you?
I’m still thinking about this. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned (that I’ve seen) in this entry or the previous one is an alternate method of entry. That won’t address many of the problems, but for the ones that require you to join a forum, etc., those should all have alternate methods of entry.
I reserve the right to come back and post again later after I’m more awake, but I think this is a very important discussion and I’m very happy to see it here.
Also, despite the rigged giveaways and such, I’m sure there are many bloggers who just don’t know or fully understand their responsibilities for hosting giveaways, and this is a valuable learning experience for them.
Terri, I will tell you that joining a forum etc, should ALWAYS be an alternate entry for method to allow people the chance, but not something required for entry. I also agree that A LOT of bloggers are clueless and NO ONE is educating them. Why would they want to do that? The point of mommy bloggers is to get ahead and pretend to be friends (with a few exceptions) so that they increase traffic. It’s a racket and truly sad the inner workings of “unprofessional” women who have never really worked a day in the real world or had any real life experience to grasp the concept of checks and balances, ethics, and the like.
I am wondering about when will you start reviewing the blogs listed on your questionable mclinky and will you be adding anymore blogs that you mentioned but didn’t call out by name and what are some of the signs of a blogger not playing by the rules
As soon as I have a free weekend, this is not something that just happens. But I will tell you that each of these blogs are questionable since they do not have a winners link access for historic listings of winners. If they do, they are not making a DUBIOUS effort to post the information.
From what I hear your just a miserable lonely person who loves to trash talk others, stalk people and belittle others. I think this “List” is ridiculous.
I choose every single one of my winners randomly and are all posted in a winners page, there is even a category for winners so everyone can see who the winners are. I also post winners a few times a month, so lets say a giveaway ends May 1st I may not draw the winner until May 15th. That is because I have a LIFE! and my life does not revolve around the Internet.
I laugh at your list because it’s people that you like to harass. You don’t even know me, oh wait… I am Kristin’s sister and friends with Tanya therfor I need to be put on the list to.
Seriously get a life and act like an adult!
Thanks Mandy! But for the record…I didn’t have to add your name to the list. Someone else did.
Furthermore, I don’t have to trash talk anyone, they are the ones with their lips still moving. I also do not harass. If you look…the same people are always the ones claiming harassment….seeing a pattern are you?
But seriously, thanks for the comment!