this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2024
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thebirdspapaya_snark

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Hello new Lemmy friends!

Word on the street tells us our community is regularly making it the all page. While this is very cool news to hear, we can see how the sudden emergence of our posts in your feed might feel jarring and probably raises some questions. And also how, without knowing the backstory, our community might appear less than virtuous, so here’s a very brief introduction which hopefully will clear a few things up.

The woman we’re discussing is a body positive influencer and media personality who has gained fame and wealth by lying, manipulating, exploiting her children for content, plagiarizing BIPOC creators and blaming her BIPOC content editor for it (thereby ruining her career), among other things. Her fraudulent behavior is no different (I’d argue worse) from the likes of Jay Shetty (google him if you don’t know who he is or what he did). She’s the latest in a long line of grifting influencers who are abusing their power, taking advantage of their position and exploiting their followers. The difference is that she’s Canadian. Our laws around social media and advertising aren’t as clear (and where they are she’s disobeyed them), add to that, our mainstream media has protected her from those who’ve tried to expose her grift and silenced/intimidated anyone who’s tried to speak out.

Our Reddit sub was taken down due to reports of copyright infringement, which is unfounded and categorically untrue as no one ever tried to steal her work and pass it off as their own. The mods have made an appeal. While at first glance it may seem like we’re just “shitting on her” the sub has been more devoted to investigation and posting proof of her lies than just bitching for the sake of bitching. The reality is that she’s hurt, manipulated and let down a lot of people. She stole intellectual property and employment, caused mental distress and has repeatedly told lies to boost engagement and profit off her audience, so people are understandably upset that their voices are being silenced.

We’re grateful to have been welcomed so kindly by so many of you, and to those sticking around to watch the drama unfold, we’re glad to have you!

**all posts are alleged.

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I'm curious about everyone's thoughts on this. Do we think it will affect Canadian influencers? Maybe not yet, but I'd like to believe it's only a matter of time before a similar law finds its way up north.. and oh man, that day will be DELICIOUS.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That’s a good decision as it will increase transparency.

Pierre Poilievre will be displeased.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Unfortunately I doubt it’ll extend to politicians although it absolutely should!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I just posted the same thing in another sub on reddit. I thought the same thing. Sure hope 🇨🇦 follows suit. Oh what a glorious day that will be.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Sarah can be reported to the FTC now. She markets to the USA. It looks like the FTC is looking into brands and mega influencers first. Sarah can also be reported for making false reviews or being paid to review. The fine is $50,000. In 60 days we will be able to report. The information and documentation of on TheBirdsPapaya gaining more followers than Celine Dion in May-June could be sent in.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Consumers will be able to report violations and it looks like consumers will be able to seek compensation. If Sarah has been paid to review a product, that's now a violation. It looks like PR companies could face fines for violations. Let's start a 60 day countdown clock. Meta and Amazon are facing GOV lawsuits for operating in anticompetitive ways. Fingers crossed that consumers report the frauds and they get slapped with a few $50,000 fines.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (2 children)

ChatGPT is not a lawyer lol but does provide some insight 😏 ~

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

😀 Birdie is CEO of a corporation doing business in the states.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

I’m sure the income generated through IG goes through that company rather than being reported as personal income

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Canada will probably enact similar legislation since it tends to follow the US lead in these matters

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Not to be pessimistic but I don’t think this is going to go down the way we want it too. Their primary focus is abolishing fake reviews. And while she has a US audience it won’t impact her quite the same as if she lived in the US. If anything it will be a slap on the wrist and she’ll go on her merry way still buying followers.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Seems like they'd need proof of purchase that can be easily hidden via crypto or temporary cards etc. What's stopping me from buying followers for Markiplier and framing him?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

read the FTC document, it's a 160 pages of how and more documents are on their way. It seems pretty easy to prove bots and instragram has a feature where users can delete bots. Large amounts of bots on an account will be considered purchased. Looks like the FTC isn't fucking around. Note the wording- "This prohibition is limited to situations in which the buyer knew or should have known that the indicators were fake."

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

Many of us still have screen shots of bot comments on TBP posts. Exact comments are repeated and made by bot accounts. Stacks of evidence., In 60 days Michael and Michael of the FTC will be keen to showcase the FTC enforcement actions.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

Let’s hope she’s the first to get caught… 🍿

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

How do you endore something like this when I could buy some monero or whatever the current "privacy" coin is and buy engagement from some random bot farm in some 3rd or 2nd world country?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Someone answered below, but in case you don't see it--this statute specifically includes instances where the creator knew, or should have known, that increased numbers were fake. So, even if someone is able to buy 25k followers with crypto anonymously, a case could be made that such a sudden increase of thousands of new followers/views/comments/etc for no discernable reason is suspicious enough that the person in control of the account should have known it isn't organic and taken steps to rectify the situation.

The particular influencer this sub is about is one of those people who purchases new followers in the tens of thousands daily. She is in egregious violation, whether or not the receipt is in her actual name.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

So Birdie’s additional 6,600 followers yesterday should be questioned under the new rules. Is that correct?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago

I'd certainly like to hear her try to explain to the FTC how her actions on social media aren't deceptive. In fact, I'd pay good money to watch it on TV lol

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Is this her explanation? Her old videos are going viral? How does that happen? Have people maybe seen them on other sites?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

That was my first thought too!