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Comment by huhtenberg | Hacker News Reader

  user:	    maura777
  created:  241 days ago
  karma:    1
  comments: 1

Sockpuppet ?

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Just a friend on IM. A bit overzealous :)

I saw that you also posted this review of your own app (Gaia GPS, $2.99), claiming that you hadn't tried one of the features:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewConten...

andrewljohnson: * * * * * (five stars)

"The new version of the app is a nice improvement on the original. I particularly like the map bookmarking button, though I haven't used the driving directions yet. The maps from CloudMade are also an improvement on the OSM maps."

What's up with that?

Of course I review my own app. In addition, my co-founders review the app, my dad rates the app, my investors rate or review the app, and anyone else in the world I can get to rate or review it as well.

I don't consider that unethical in the slightest, considering my competitors literally hire PR firms to write reviews for them, and have armies of employees to do the same. I have written on this topic occasionally:

http://www.andrewljohnson.com/article/Fixing%20the%20App%20S...

It's not just that "everyone else is doing it" that makes it OK to do. If you want your star ratings to be in the same league as the rest of the apps on the store, then you have to generate more reviews than your regular users will provide to keep up with everyone else. It's not a matter of OK - it's a matter of survival.

I do wish there was more credibility to the reviews on the App Store, but that's just not the way it is. Maybe someday Apple's system won't demand all developers get all their buddies to buy and review their app. It's just absolutely pervasive - go check out some popular apps and see if you can pick out all the fake reviews. The clear giveaways are: 1) has only written one review, or only reviewed the app and competitors 2) references new features in the app 3) badmouths competitors 4) long and rambling. The fake reviews usually have some combination of these.

As long as the big guys are paying for reviews, I don't consider it even a little bit unethical to review my own app. Even in my little navigation market, the top app has a company and at least a dozen iPhones - that's a dozen automatic five star reviews. I can't compete on this front, but I can try.

Wow, I thought you'd be mortified! Instead you don't consider it "unethical in the slightest" because you thought it was the only way you could win.

How much money do you think you made from your review which was written to make it seem like you weren't affiliated with the product? However much that is is what you sold out for.

My opinion: Friends and family is above the line. Reviewing yourself or paying people is below the line.

You make a reasonable case for showing up with a review, to match competitive practice. And you didn't use a fake name.

But as CEO/Founder of a 4-person company -- and perhaps a code contributor as well? -- you really "haven't used the driving directions yet"? Even if that's true, it sounds like an embellishment to make the review sound like it's coming from a casual user.

Does Apple have a policy on self-reviews?

No, my review was honest. I liked Map Bookmarks, and I haven't used the Driving Directions feature (which we actually cut from version 2). As you point out, I use my standard nick name for my reviews. A Google search for the word andrewljohnson is dominated by me, so when the other poster suggested I would be mortified at being found out... clearly not.

Apple doesn't seem to have a policy on self-reviews, but I'd assume that their feeling is anything goes since they know about companies hiring firms to write reviews and don't do anything about it.

I'm the other poster, and I believe you weren't Technically Lying (http://lesswrong.com/lw/11y/not_technically_lying/) but why did you bring up that you hadn't used the driving directions? Maybe this had nothing to do with deceiving people into thinking you weren't associated with the product but I find it doubtful. A more honest self-review (if this really is accepted practice on iPhone) would just say why you think your product is good. It seems you're skating a little over the edge at best.

Ironically, I think that my review is probably obviously not from a "casual user" and that changing it to be a general praise would make it more effective.

I don't think there are hairs to be split here. It's going to be deceptive as long as I don't announce who I am in the review.

It occurs to me that signing the review might be the most effective thing to do - at least I would be unique.

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