Click “Like” on Facebook to Help Boy Who Was Shot by Stepfather–Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
This is a Facebook post alleging that each time a story is “liked” by readers that companies will donate money to a worthy cause. One cause is for medical care for a 14-year-old boy who was shot by his stepfather while the youth was protecting his sister.
The Truth:
Facebook eRumors that claim money will be donated each time a user clicks “like” are fictional.
This is a scam that companies use to manipulate Facebook’s news feed algorithm, “EdgeRank.” The algorithm uses the number of likes and comments a given Facebook page receives to determine how relevant it is and how widely posts made from it will be distributed, according to a New York Times report.
Technology marketing firm CST Group LTD explained that scammers post fictional stories to generate a high volume of likes in a short amount of time. The Facebook page, and its bloated audience, can then be sold to a third party for a profit.
Posted 03/10/14