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Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

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Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#31

Post by swang »

ernestipark wrote: post #23
swang wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you read the article? It is pretty obvious he perpetuated the hoax or lied about activities involving her to media. Either he is really naive or a liar. He even continued talking about her as a real person to the media even after he found out it was a "hoax" and reported it to coaches 3 weeks later.

It is a possibility that he was just embarrassed. I would be..

Let's assume that Deadspin didn't trace it back eventually to a close mutual friend of his.

So he's _REALLY_ embarrassed because someone online pulled a pretty hardcore prank on him. Yet he still continues to act as though she was a real person even after he found out about it?

Because if that is true, it makes it seem to the rest of the sports world that he's just trying to garner sympathy to win the Heisman. That kind of makes him even more scummier: the fact that even though he knows that he got pranked, he continues to perpetuate the lie.

Edit: for more context about it, read this: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130...

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#32

Post by shock-value »

swang wrote: post #31
ernestipark wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a possibility that he was just embarrassed. I would be..

Let's assume that Deadspin didn't trace it back eventually to a close mutual friend of his. So he's _REALLY_ embarrassed because someone online pulled a pretty hardcore prank on him. Yet he still continues to act as though she was a real person even after he found out about it? Because if that is true, it makes it seem to the rest of the sports world that he's just trying to garner sympathy to win the Heisman. That k…

Apparently the guy who it got traced backed to 1) wasn't actually a close friend, just an acquaintance the player met relatively recently (after being contacted by the "fake" woman), and 2) had pulled similar stunts on other people in the past.

So it definitely isn't cut and dry, and I'm leaning towards extreme naivety on Te'o's part at this point (and possibly some embellishment to cover up embarrassment), although it definitely is a bizarre story either way.

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#34

Post by mistercow »

hooande wrote: post #26

Social hacking at its finest. The benefits of a fake girlfriend go far beyond attracting a real girlfriend. Everyone looks differently at someone who is dating a hot chick. This could be just as valuable in terms of general networking or self promoting. It makes me wonder what similar ideas are out there. For the majority of people, social capital is the most valuable kind of capital there is. Facebook itself is kind…

>The human brain is based on simple rules and you can't blame someone for capitalizing on that.

Yes I can. I don't really care about it in this particular case (although the whole concept just makes me sad), but I could give plenty of examples of exploiting human nature that are reprehensible and deserving of blame. That something is easy does not make it ethical.

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#35

Post by flomo »

snogglethorpe wrote: post #12
orangethirty wrote: post #5

This is kind of scientific from an evolutionary stand point. The company is allowing males to setup a mating ritual display to appear more desirable. I don't know if its scientific, but my fisrt hand experience always had me being more desirable to the opposite sex when I was in a relationship. Now that I wear a wedding band around my finger, I could swear that the effect has increased. Which is quite funny at some t…

> my first hand experience always had me being more desirable to the opposite sex when I was in a relationship But it's not necessarily the case that this is due to others thinking you're in a relationship. I suspect at least a large part of the effect you describe (which seems to be pretty well-known) is because people tend to be more relaxed and confident when they're "out of play"—the pressure's off—and ironically…

I think it's simply social expectations. Single guy is expected to make the first 'move'. Married guy is expected to not make any moves at all. Therefore it's on the woman to begin flirtations with guys who appear to be taken. Married guy concludes he's must be more desirable because women are suddenly flirting with him.

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#36

Post by vecinu »

mistercow wrote: post #34
hooande wrote: post #26

Social hacking at its finest. The benefits of a fake girlfriend go far beyond attracting a real girlfriend. Everyone looks differently at someone who is dating a hot chick. This could be just as valuable in terms of general networking or self promoting. It makes me wonder what similar ideas are out there. For the majority of people, social capital is the most valuable kind of capital there is. Facebook itself is kind…

>The human brain is based on simple rules and you can't blame someone for capitalizing on that. Yes I can. I don't really care about it in this particular case (although the whole concept just makes me sad), but I could give plenty of examples of exploiting human nature that are reprehensible and deserving of blame. That something is easy does not make it ethical.

To extrapolate this, people have taken advantage of other peoples' weaknesses. Gambling, drug addictions, suicidal thoughts...everyone has a weakness that can be exploited.

I reiterate your statement; exploiting that vulnerability IS to blame and should not be applauded.

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#37

Post by agateform »

orangecat wrote: post #18
ahelwer wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jumping straight to "from an evolutionary stand point" in these sorts of things is just gross. Evopsych is pretty much BS anyway, and seems to find the most play in circles that enjoy spouting off about how women are this way, and men are that way. The New Yorker had a good article on it. http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2012/09/17/12091...

Actually, it's based on the radical notion that our brains are not made out of a magical substance that's immune to genes and hormones. In a utopia where there was no gender discrimination or societal pressure to conform to expected roles, do you really think that women would commit half of all violent crimes, and would have identical mate selection criteria as men?

>Actually, it's based on the radical notion that our brains are not made out of a magical substance that's immune to genes and hormones.

There is a mind blowing Norwegian documentary on the nature versus nurture debate the HN community should watch. The show touches on a lot of taboos, which might be too controversial for some people. The first episode is about gender equality. The interviewer investigates why/how there are less women in engineering and less man in nursing in a country listed having the highest level of equality. Other episodes are about parents influence, sexual preference, violence, sexual desire/commitment and race.

According to wikipedia a producer has made the series available online with English subtitles. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp0tg8_hjernevask-brainwash...

It's also on youtube (ignore the terrible comments as usual) http://youtu.be/KQ2xrnyH2wQ

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#38

Post by danhodgins »

An illustration of how shallow social proof can be. The fact that human psychology can be so simple and game-able at time never fails to amaze me. At the same time, I can't help but objectively analyze their business model and be intrigued by its possibilities - regardless of any moral or ethical landmines.

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#39

Post by mylittlepony »

untog wrote: post #30
fbpcm wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or for $5 http://fiverr.com/gigs/search?query=girlfriend&x=0&y...

Fascinating. Even more fascinating when you think that there is no guarantee that the person advertising is the person in the pictures. Rip photos from unsuspecting innocent FB profile, create a new one, post on fiverr, profit!

In case someone too naive reads parent, I can count at least 3 crimes there: using someone else's image without consent (is there a name for that?), impersonation, and fraud.

Re: Website Sells Fake Facebook Girlfriends

#40

Post by h2s »

This is really weird. Everybody on HN appears to be praising this for the clever entrepreneurial idea. I'm kind of amazed that I'm apparently about to be the first person on here to call this out as a hugely misogynistic endeavour. Women should not be treated as a SaaS product.
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