Hubbers reviewing products they haven't used themselves

1. 60

   Izzy Anneposted 15 years ago

   Readers are not stupid.  We can see when someone knows what they are writing about and when they are just rewriting material from the web.
   
   I was looking for (I leave this out, I think, don't want to attack specific people) I first googled it, read a few reviews, then checked some products on Amazon and then searched on Hubpages.  Many of the hubs were just repeats of what I have read before and they were the ones on the first page.  Only one hub had extra information which made searching on Hubpages worthwhile.
   
   I know people want to make money, but picking a random object with a good price and then rewriting other sites is not the way to inspire confidence in Hubpages as a whole.  I want someone's personal experience of a product or some professional knowledge or at least have the impression that the writer is clever enough to do lots of homework before trying to get me to click on something.

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2. 58

   HubPoliceposted 15 years ago

   who are you to deny those with no talent, knowledge, or creativity the oppertunity to make money online?

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      Izzy Anneposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Lol  Very true.

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3. 66

   Mishaposted 15 years ago

   You'd be surprised, but quite a few people use hubpages to promote outright scam
   
   Comparing to this lousy review is peanuts

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4. 63

   Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

   I have seen hubs that are almost identical to the stuff on a manufacturer site literally copy paste and put on  website to make money

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      Uninvited Writerposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      But they don't make any money.

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5. 60

   Mamelodyposted 15 years ago

   unfortunately people are bastard quoted bastards with bastard fillings (those are Dr Kelso's words, Scrubs)
   
   But truth is people are greedy pigs and any slight chance of making a quick buck, they'll jump at it so therez pretty much nothing you can do about that..

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6. 69

   Cagsilposted 15 years ago

   Hubbers reviewing products they haven't used themselves?
   
   (1) Law in the U.S. is that if you do a review or promote a product YOU must have used the product at some point.
   
   (2) If a Hubber states that they have not personally used the product or service offered, then their creditability is false.
   
   Just a thought.

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   1. 58

      Mark Knowlesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Get enough incoming links and it makes no odds.........
      
      And some of us are not in the US.....
      
      At least I am not trying to sell you a device to run your car on water or make a fortune in forex in 3 weeks.....

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      1. 69

         Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Mark, I understand some are not, but HubPages is a U.S. Based Company and can be held accountable? If you think not, then you really underestimate the power of the U.S. Government.

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            Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            That must be true, however the content that Mark Knowles publishes is his. His domicile is not US so...

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            1. 69

               Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               Apparently you don't understand. Nevermind.

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                  Uninvited Writerposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  Where exactly does it say that you must use a product you review/write about?

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                     Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                     It's a U.S. Law regarding advertisers.

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               2. 74

                  Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  I don't? Tell me then. Please.

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                  1. 74

                     Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                     Since you don't care to answer. Here's the word : http://hubpages.com/hub/What-is-Domicile
                     And YAY!!! I'm right.

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                     1. 69

                        Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                        You completely misunderstood, because I was talking about HubPages being held accountable for the actions of Hubbers, who sell products/goods or services, and those people(U.S. based). I said that the U.S. Government if wanted to.....could extend it's reach or use loopholes in the Law(s) to attack HubPages because of the actions of it's users.
                        
                        Is that clear enough for you?

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                           Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                           Pretty clear. Next time you sign up to a website, read its TOS first.
                           
                           

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                           1. 69

                              Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                              And, you think the U.S. Government of all people think that the rules HubPages outlines is going to make a difference? You keep dreaming. The U.S. Government has gone after and won against much stronger opponents. But, you keep thinking that.

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                              1. 74

                                 Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                                 No. I just keep thinking the US gov doesn't give a damn. Does that make me a stubborn person?

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            Mark Knowlesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            Not in the slightest. All the time google is making substantial moneys - you are safe. Notice they have no qualms about advertisers?
            
            And really. This is peanuts to the US government Inc.

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   2. 0

      cosetteposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      really?
      
      hmm...i have always loved big construction equipment, you know, like those Caterpillar machines...also cranes. i have been wanting to write a hub about them for a while now. mostly from a standpoint of how much they fascinate me. having never used them, could i still write about them? i would have to do some Google-ing, obviously, to add some technical info about them.

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         Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         You can talk about them generalized, but if you are promoting a product/service/goods....then U.S. Laws says that you must have used them.
         
         Caterpillar machines are a different story.

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7. 76

   Uninvited Writerposted 15 years ago

   What document? What paragraph? Where can you look at it?

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      cosetteposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      hmm.
      
      well i will write mine from a general perspective i guess. i think it will be pretty obvious i never used a crane in my life

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         Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Are you selling them? If not, then you don't have a problem.

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            cosetteposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            oh no. the hub wouldn't be written as a review. more as a study or piece of fan mail. but i would have ads on there for them.

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               Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               I just wanted people to be aware. That's all.

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8. 63

   Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

   I think his point is that if you didn't review the item you must state in your review that your information is not from personal experience and is based on information gathered from other sources, also the fact that hubpages is a US company anything they allow to be posted is their responsibility no matter where the posting comes from because they are liable for the content placed on their site. This is best seen in AdSense, Google dictates strict guidelines and hubpages moderates hubs based on these guidelines because Google does not only hold the hub author responsible but holds hubpages responsible if they do not deal with it properly.

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9. 55

   yenajeonposted 15 years ago

   you know whats worse than a reviewer reviewing things for the sake of a hub/traffic without knowing the product?
   
   I am sick of hubbers who have like 100 hubs on the same subject but with minimal tweaking. This is a random and very fake example but hubs that sound like how to use a mouse, how to use a mouse attached to a laptop, how to use a mouse with your right hand, how to use a pink mouse, how to use a pink mouse with a mousepad on and on and on and on
   
   how is that valuable information???

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      LaViejaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree with you, i have stopped following people for that very reason. Read the the first hub and thought great, well written, informative. Then read others and thought "hey this sounds familiar" same stuff just moved around changed words, but basically the same. I just stop following and don't bother reading anything they produce, and some I have to say are highly rated hubbers...

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10. 76

    Uninvited Writerposted 15 years ago

    I have highlighted items I have never used and talked about their features, but you can't call that a review. I have read the books I have reviewed

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11. 0

    Pani Midnyte Odinposted 15 years ago

    I don't understand why people would review products they never used in the first place. To me, that just shows a lack of integrity.

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12. 69

    Cagsilposted 15 years ago

    See if this helps clarify?
    
    http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/busines … bus28.shtm

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13. 0

    cosetteposted 15 years ago

    thanks very much Cagsil. this is why i like the forums...i learn a lot.

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       Cagsilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       You're welcome Cosette.

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14. 0

    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    I used the products I talked about in a hub of course that was on thigns that aren't back friendly and I know from experience

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15. 0

    cosetteposted 15 years ago

    me too, mostly because i like to share personal stories about said Hub topics.

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16. 63

    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

    Cags, some people will just never get it...lol  It really is simple, it is like a newspaper or news channel, if they report something they are told by me and my information is wrong, not only am I responsible but the one who published it is also responsible.

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       Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       read the TOS you accepted

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17. 63

    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

    I am pretty sure that there is something in the TOS that also states hubpages has the right to remove or unpublish any hub it chooses especially if it can cause harm to hubpages.

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       Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       How does this relate to what we are discussing?

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    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

    The US laws would over ride any TOS I assure you. If the FTC deemed a hub violated something and hubpages did not act to correct or prevent the issue they would be held responsible right along with the person who wrote it.

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       Hauntyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Do you know much of what the US law says?

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    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

    because the reason hubpages reserves the right to remove or unpublish a hub is to protect them from the very law we are discussig. Hubpages staff and owners know that they can be held liable if they do nothing to prevent or correct a hub which violates a US law.

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20. 63

    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 15 years ago

    I know enough to know that the initial point in this post is true, that false reviews in attempt to sell a product are against US law and that hubpages could be held liable if the FTC found reason to go after a hubber who was writing false information to promote or sell a product

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