Facebook, the social networking website, has said that it is undertaking “automated efforts” to prevent abuse of the “like” system on the website.
Corporate entities create their own profiles on the website and other users can “like” that profile to indicate an appreciation of, or support for, the brand or service offered by that company. However, Facebook has become aware of increasing abuse of the system, with many such profiles using malware (malicious software), fake accounts and deception to receive more “likes”, as well as bulk-buying “likes”. As a result, Facebook is improving its automated systems and is configuring them to identify and take action against suspicious “likes”. However, Facebook has admitted that the effect of the improvement may be small.
European Union-based businesses may also be opening themselves up to possible action for breaching the criminal law in the EU. Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 – the UK’s implementation of an EU Directive – it is always considered to be an unfair commercial practice to pretend to be a consumer or be misleading about it, when that is not the case.