Microsoft flatly denies astroturfing Reddit to bolster its coming Xbox One console

Today a Reddit user by the name of MistySilver accused Microsoft of employing a local agency to commit “reputation management” in favor its of forthcoming Xbox One console by influencing voting patterns on the social site.

BusinessInsider reported on the accusation, stating that the comment indicated that “[r]epresentatives of Microsoft may be hanging out on the social news site voting up positive comments about the Xbox One, voting down negative comments and adding pro-Xbox comments of their own, Misty Silver says.”

The article went on to say that “Obviously, we can’t confirm this story. We asked Microsoft for comment on if they have people on their payroll using Reddit and will update when they reply.”

TNW reached out to Microsoft directly on the issue, and was told the following by a company spokesperson:

There is no coordinated or sanctioned effort by Microsoft Xbox employees, or the agencies we work with, to unduly influence Reddit or other online forums.

That comment left a loophole open, specifically that it did not indicate that non-Xbox related Microsoft employees were not taking part in such actions. TNW returned to Microsoft asking for clarification, which the company provided:

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There is no coordinated or sanctioned effort by Microsoft Xbox employees, or anyone paid by Microsoft, to unduly influence Reddit or other online forums.

That statement wasn’t precisely what I wanted, which was a plain, clean ‘no Microsoft employees are doing this.’ So, I asked again, and was then given the following, which is the firm rebuttal I was looking for:

There is no coordinated or sanctioned effort by Microsoft employees, or anyone paid by Microsoft, to unduly influence Reddit or other online forums.

Frankly, I would be surprised if Microsoft was so damned foolish that it would undertake such a blatantly obvious, and discoverable folly. There appears to be nothing here. Let’s get back to PRISM. 

Top Image Credit: Luke Hayfield