Facebook faces lawsuit over juicing viewer numbers

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Surfpolitik

This week, just prior to the start of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the WSL switched off live viewing on their app. Fans who wanted to watch the webcast on mobile could no longer view it via WSL's own application, instead they had to go through Facebook.

The move is one more step in a full transition away from the WSL website so the league can fulfill their obligation to Facebook.

You'll recall that back in January the WSL inked a deal with the social media behemoth to host all their webcasts throughout 2018 and 2019. It's the third move by the WSL since it bought pro surfing in 2013: first they ran webcasts on YouTube, then Neulion, and now Facebook Live.

Facebook was seemingly a good fit for the WSL. Over the last two years digital media has undergone a 'pivot to video', with Facebook convincing online publishers that video was the next goldrush. Said Mark Zuckerburg in 2016: "We’re entering this new golden age of video . . . I wouldn’t be surprised if you fast-forward five years and most of the content that people see on Facebook and are sharing on a day-to-day basis is video.”

Following the 'pivot to video', media companies subsequently fired teams of writers, hired teams of video producers who created and uploaded clips to Facebook. And the Facebook algorithm loved them. The viewing metrics were astonishing.

For the WSL, who've been plagued by questions over live audience numbers, it was a no brainer. Facebook provided good cover around their viewing numbers. There's no independent auditing mechanism, and the metrics themselves are nebulous; they sound impressive but are hard to understand.

Since the 'pivot to video' began some observers have questioned the validity of Facebook's metrics. Who's to say they're not pumping the numbers to lure more publishers onto their platform and sell more ad space?

Today those doubts took an offical turn with news of an upcoming lawsuit against Facebook. The plaintiffs allege Facebook knew as early as 2015 that they were overestimating video metrics and did nothing about it. Specifically it was around video autoplays in Facebook's newsfeed. The plaintiffs said the inflation of the metrics ran from 150% up to 900%.

If it's proven, the news will have far-reaching effects in the media world. Online publishers reshaped their organisations to service Facebook's metrics, but it's now possible they were being manipulated. If Facebook is found guilty it'll be a shallow victory for the teams of writers and editors made redundant. A troubled industry thrown into further disarray by alleged corporate chicanery.

Where this leaves the WSL, who are throwing their lot in with Facebook, is anyone's guess. However, if FB are found guilty you can take those webcast metrics with an even bigger grain of salt than you already are.

Comments

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 11:38am

Haha !

JM's picture
JM's picture
JM Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 11:57am

I was bored enough to watched some of the Portugal event last night on the WSL website. The little indicator that says how many viewers are watching hovered between 6k - 12k. Considering what it costs to run these events I thought it looked like a pretty poor return of investment for the sponsors.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 12:00pm

The day facebook no longer exists will be a very happy day

flow's picture
flow's picture
flow Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 12:46pm

Who's the plaintiff?

redmondo's picture
redmondo's picture
redmondo Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 1:55pm

Yeah who is the plaintiff?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 1:47pm

Company called Crowd Siren.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:46pm

Is that what they do?
Sound the siren on crowd sizes?

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:05pm

Interesting they are right in the mix of digital advertising. A client(s) must have got burn't as they advertise the do's and don'ts of using FB. From memory Stu, this is how you got into trouble a few years ago with those who must be obeyed. The wissel was using rubbery figures which you questioned and they spat the dummy.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:29pm

Not sure that it's a matter of reading the T&Cs, more so a monopoly player that's both creating the rules and tweaking the results.

Many online publishers go onto Facebook under duress. By doing so they give up a lot of their autonomy, but then the only thing worse than being on FB is not being on FB because then you're almost invisible in the marketplace.

Even if they use FB reluctantly the relationship still requires good faith: the company invests X amount of money, Facebook delivers Y amount of views.

But being so wildly extravagant, it was only a matter of time before people would start sniffing around about the viewing numbers. Check some of the links, Crowd Siren appear to have internal records from FB.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5004295-d5cb8373-8cbb-4e81-9710-f2ccf4481b74.html

RE The Wossel and Giant Rubbery Number: Yep, that was back in 2014. Trumpeting huge numbers on one hand, while their webcasts - which were run on YouTube - told a very different story.

The link between the two is that FB has (allegedly) been using their own giant rubbery numbers, and the WSL has been a beneficiary of the (alleged) fraud.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:59pm

I love the bit about paying lip service to the issue by employing 2 engineers to fix a monster problem which which mean't it was always going to be on the never, never timescale. Seems these days anybody can get away with anything as long as they are rich enough, and they just pay the fine. Trump's USA is one of who gives a F*&k, try and sue me.

ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 8:03pm

>>The link between the two is that FB has (allegedly) been using their own giant rubbery numbers, and the WSL has been a beneficiary of the (alleged) fraud.

Or perhaps the WSL has been a victim of the alleged fraud? Schadenfreude much?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 8:16am

Yeah but nah.

It is 'possible' that the WSL didn't know that FB's numbers were bogus, however that would put them in a company of one.

Not knowing what field you work in I can assure you everyone in digital knew, yet till this case came along they just couldn't prove it.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:35pm

I haven't watched a skerrick of pro surfing this year- maybe it's a geographical thing or whatever but the only way i can watch is by signing up for FB.

L refuse to be railroaded into joining something i don't want or need. So basically the WSL can ge fucked and a bigger fuck you to Facebook.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:49pm

You know you can watch it here, Zen? On our feed embedded from FB.

Still, fuck 'em and all that, but you can watch it.

Wouldn't wanna miss your fave surfer hustle his way to another world title while stepdad looks on.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 3:53pm

WSL lying to advertisers and inflating views , Facebook lying to WSL about viewer numbers ?

I can feel a lyric coming on .....

“Ring the police on the emergency line
Drive to the station get a parking fine
Ring my lawyer, "hey what should I do?"
"Do it to them before they do it to you"
Yes it's true
That's what he said to do”

frother's picture
frother's picture
frother Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 2:56pm

Hard maintaining viewer numbers when streaming quality is poor. Tried watching a bit last night, was constant stop/start due to buffering. Very frustrating with the constant interuption as I was pretty much unable to watch complete rides. Never had issues with watching it previously.

belly's picture
belly's picture
belly Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 3:06pm

Interesting, there has also been audio and visual quality issues on the foxtel partner coverage for this event

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 8:56am

This would suggest a problem at the broadcast end (not Facebook) as they utilise different infrastructure. 

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 3:50pm

this tech cycle and resultant tech wreck can't happen soon enough.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 4:12pm

Hey VJ, there's a saying around the Swellnet office: "If it doesn't make sense it doesn't make sense." 

We've all been around a while, we know surfing, business, and online stuff, so there's no need to defer to perceived superior knowledge when the concepts are pie in the sky. If we apply dispassionate, critical thinking to something and it still doesn't make sense then it's time to take a sideways look at it.

This thinking has served us well for the surf industry crash, the crazy Surf Stitch acquisitions, the various people who wanted to hitch their wagons to Swellnet, and also keeping our business model separate from FB's ever-changing demands.

I don't know what will happen when the tech crunch comes, but what I know is this: it makes no sense for a business to rely solely on social media platforms.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Saturday, 20 Oct 2018 at 5:36pm

Hi Stu,

You may have an inverse variation of "it is what it is" commonly used by traders as an explanation for markets that should correct but just keep on keeping on going. My comment was more a little prayer for this particular cycle of fiat-fuelled madness and social media intrusiveness/electronic device slavery to correct, as I keep an eye on the big tech firms. Having separate presence to social media is quite valuable; for you control the separate platform. I read with interest articles on the early internet with multiple thousands of separate nodes, now reduced to about 17 (iirc) big corporate ones. The trend into 'apps' for certain experiences further traps people into a predetermined browsing experience.

I do have a question about the surf industry crash that I'd like to throw open to the SN office and commentators: if the industry is crashing (and I'm hearing local stories of further contraction to come I won't elaborate on), or has crashed; and yet at the same time I can observe surfing being more popular than ever (learners, intermediates, cruisers on retro & log crews - numbers are up big) - how is the industry crashing?

a) is it hubris - like RIO eating Alcan and Gunns eating Auspine in 2007 at the peak of that market cycle, the debt became an albatross to bear? Did the big 3 just expand too much, takeover too many separate little brands, and the debt got them? (Rippy's looking smart for not listing...)

b) did consumers withdraw from purchasing their particular brands, and purchased instead startups? If so, none of those have risen to the size of RipQuikBong, that I can see anyway.

c) did consumers just buy online cheaper? Physical stores thus squeezed by high cost base, hurt the big companies?

d) Did consumers just withdraw as they are tapped out for cash? We all know that once you've got a board, wax, wettie and wheels you are set in surfing and become one of the planet's least consumptive persons! Or are they spending their money elsewhere - maybe less on the stuff and more on the experience? For example taking guided tours, lessons, travel packages. These are booming.

So I'm seeing a tale of two worlds, so to speak. So many people enjoying surfing and these people increasing in number, and yet the industry is apparently contracting. Can't quite put my finger on why. Anyone?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Saturday, 20 Oct 2018 at 5:57pm

It's an unreal question, VJ. One that I've wondered about for a while, and I feel it can't be answered with a great deal of certainty. I also can't attempt my version now. Bit busy. I'll return later.

sharkman's picture
sharkman's picture
sharkman Saturday, 20 Oct 2018 at 8:15pm

Hi Vj , just so happens I am writing an article/book , and can answer / make observations on your questions , on what happened to the Surf Industry , and possible future..

a) Quik Bong went public and therefore had to meet the requirements of the shareholders which was grow and make profit for them at any cost. The cost was branding everything and anything alienating their surfing base , so the Gen Y's and Milleniums just couldn't relate , lost a whole demographic.
RC tried to follow but did not have the capitalisation of going public , and remained relatively small......then the market changed and there were Quik and Bong doing $2b in turnover but not profitable as they grew too quick and did not have systems in place that were economically viable , so they borrowed from banks , and when the banks were tapped out , they went and found financial institutions such as Altamont and Oaktree capital , which got access at board level made big expensive loans, helped and watched as the Co's started the downward spiral , until they were basically bankrupt and then bought them for a pittance

b) The consumer at the peak were not surfers but people buying into a rad youth brand, 80% of surf wear sales were in the midwest of the USA , or when you go to a footy gam you will notice surf wear has become bogan wear , because of the oversaturation of the market which then stopped surfers buying to product.
the surf boom of the 90's to 2008 was when surfing was a rebel brand and people bought in everywhere....this is now all over , as surfing has become a sanatised sport and really one of mediocrity , so people outside of surfing buy streetwear or just cheaper unbranded clothing..there will be no more $b Co's and thats why smaller brands are springing up , but maybe the new model is get to $10m , be happy and have a lifestyle , and keep the brand small , and don't dream of making millions and billions...

c) Online hurt a bit , and with the demise of the independent store ,and the big Co's all fighting over which shops they should buy , created a false economy for bricks and mortar , eg 80 % of surfshops are owned by Rc and Oaktree. we are now seeing in OZ a serious decline in retail sales , this happened in the USA 3 years ago , and last year in Europe , and still spiralling down.

D) plenty of surfers buying hardgoods , they just don't buy surf wear as much , the WSL has not helped in promoting a squeaky clean , no negativity brand of sufer...fuck that!

So yeah we are at the end of an era / cycle ...heaps of surfers , especially adult learners , but what is surf now?

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Saturday, 20 Oct 2018 at 11:09pm

sharkman that was awesome, I also await Stu's reply when he's had his weekend

In a way it is sad as in the 80's there was nothing more valuable than the Quik logo (real silver shiny stuff on black label) on boardies and we'd get Mum to sew logos from discarded Quikky boardies over our 'Catchit' boardies :) I remember the early 90's as a time no one wanted to loudly display a logo, wetties went black & being low key mirrored the disdain for "selling out" in music.

One further observation: surfing has been sold as a lifestyle image in a very appealing way by many advertisers in recent years - the most successful campaign being the Corona 'Where you'd rather be" imagery. It's like it has been dovetailed with time away from busy-ness/phone, where young people "breathe", or experience authenticity (a desire for "authenticity" seems to run in the Y generation*). Or surfing as part of some soulful recharge. In the process of sharing surfing with someone new to it, there are just so many positives, including starting a relationship with nature that is lacking in modern life and which is essential to us all as beings (you can get it rock climbing or hiking, too for eg). None of us here may pause to consider this, as we all return to the water frequently.

In the process of selling this image of surfing (probably where the majority of the newer surfers see it first), these advertisers have hijacked the imagery of surfing from the traditional big surfing companies and taken it to a far wider audience. And guess what - the surfing displayed is cruisy and logs in nice warm water, it's not the vision of pro surfing at all. Guess where numbers are increasing the most?

*a note on authenticity: the DIY method of surfing is very authentic. You have to figure it out all by yourself. There are many frustrations and setbacks, and occasional near-drownings if you grow up in an area of powerful waves. Mates to share this with have the value of gold and can be literal lifesavers. At times you will be out in conditions that scare you silly. You will encounter sharks. If you are a true masochist, you will make your own equipment. At first it will be terrible. After years, the equipment will be good. Every single moment was authentic but geez there must be easier ways...

Baron von Spatula's picture
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Baron von Spatula Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 4:10pm

the more things change...

Magazine/Newspaper Publisher's have (read: had) rolled this dice before...
Facebook simply co-opted and scaled the old print advertising paradigm for the digital age. Auditing figures (when - of if! - they existed) oft read absurdist.
I knew of a certain Publisher whom warehoused (off-site) printed copies in unopened boxes - stacked floor to ceiling!!! These were later, opened and the various Editions mixed, then on-sold to myriad second-hand bookstores - for cash! A truly cunning double-edged scam. When the warehousing cost became unsustainable - the aforementioned unopened boxes and contents were simply pulped.

... the more they remain the same!

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 4:34pm

So how do you watch on FB on a phone?

Do you have to download the facebook app?

Fuck, this is a giant pain in the balls.

amb's picture
amb's picture
amb Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 4:38pm

FR76 download the WSL app.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 4:53pm

already got that, but it says in the article I can no longer stream through the WSL app.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 4:55pm

That's right, as of this comp.

I think that's why the FB numbers have taken a leap.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 5:44pm

The fact that you can have the WSL app and Facebook on your phone (but not the Facebook app) and not watch it is diabolical. Forcing people to get the Facebook app is farked.

Millerm's picture
Millerm's picture
Millerm Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 2:46pm

You don't have 'Facebook on your phone' unless you have the app. If you don't have the app you're just going online to access FB which is no different to any computer

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 2:56pm

Very rough ballpark figures support that theory too.

Most comps this year have seen up to ~4K concurrent viewers on the web-only stream (via Facebook), so if Portugal's ~12K concurrent viewers now consists of web+mobile, then that means there's around ~8K mobile concurrent viewers (or around 60-70% of the total) - which is about on par with typical device percentages across the board.

Though I gotta say, who can watch more than five straight minutes on a mobile?

Gary G's picture
Gary G's picture
Gary G Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 3:05pm

Gary enhances the mobile experience by gazing into the mirror.

Others may choose to use the screen mirroring function

northeasterly's picture
northeasterly's picture
northeasterly Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 5:36pm

I watch entire contests on my phone. Now I think about it I've probably watched the last 5 years on my phone. Having two kids, a full time job and a business means I'm too busy to sit and watch on TV or laptop. With my phone I can walk around the house/garden or work getting shit done with an AirPod in one ear and my phone in my pocket. When Joe Turpel gets excited i stop what i'm doing and pull out my phone. It's the perfect crime. Happy wife AND i get to watch the best bits AND get productive during the lulls.

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 5:06pm

:)

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 5:18pm

I'm equally curious about how Mark Zuckerberg got a HaydenShapes under his arm.

Then again, according to Surfer (back in 2015) "Google CEO Sundar Pichai rides a Hypto Krypto". 

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 5:32pm

Not a real good photo shop effort that one.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 5:37pm

Actually, I thought it was a pretty decent effort!

Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake Saturday, 20 Oct 2018 at 11:25pm

Haha Ben for what its worth I thought the board was real...I'm paying it.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 6:54pm

zenagain... Stu/Ben play down Swellnet WSL webcasts.
Here's how Swellnet WSL Live webcasts play out ...
Without a word of a lie Swellnet has better WSL webcast than YouTube/WSL/ Facebook.
Proper live! Around 1-3 mins ahead of WSL "Pretend Live" Coverage.
All webcasts have some delays or blocks even event lockouts but less so with Swellnet.
To be honest facebook users mostly drift over to Swellnet with nothing but praise.

Swellnetonians' get a call up [Top right] eg: Free trial- [Click event it's running live Now]
Sometimes you're asked to Confirm Log in for live webcast (Occasionally)
Confirm Log in for Comments if you wish to override The Archies!
(Comments are accessible 24/7 all contest long)
Commentators start updating swell or back favs + correcting poor judging scores.
Swellnet runs daily/Post Comp wraps 2nd to none.(Ghostwriter/Darn good read though!)

Add in the longest continued run of Live Women's Comps...
>> "Swellnet #1 WSL Webcaster"<<
I doubt WSL will ever reward Swellnet for excellent service. About time they did though!

If a comp is not on Swellnet (ultra rare)..
A few drift over to delayed WSL but none are ever that desperate to switch to facebook.
Growing number of Swellnet Live Fans are now too many to count. I'm a Fan!

pointy's picture
pointy's picture
pointy Thursday, 18 Oct 2018 at 8:48pm

I'm thought that FBs popularity was on the decline with younger folk so I can't see that it's a good move for the WSL to be moving their content over to them

surfstarved's picture
surfstarved's picture
surfstarved Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 8:41am

And there goes your last chance of ever being invited to el rancho de surfo Stu.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 10:05am

Early days in this marriage still.
Kelly and the WSL may break up at some stage still.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 9:00am

Will be interesting to see a demographic breakdown over the coming months. By restricting mobile viewers to Facebook, they've shut out every single grommet under the age of 13 (as Facebook won't allow anyone younger than 13 to sign up) - most of whom I'd assume would have previously been tuning in via their mobile device.

Noel's picture
Noel's picture
Noel Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 9:59am

Pretty sure the world has passed 'Peak' Facebook. Its on the decline, especially in Europe, millions abandoned it after the data security breach.
I only have it on my desktop as a number of small businesses only have a Facebook presence.
And there is no effing way I will install it on my phone. There is no saying what it will do with all your contacts, data, global positioning, and real time video images, & audio bytes.
Facebook just see something like the WSL alliance as opening up another coalface to mine, a way to access a niche demographic who wouldnt ordinarily consider installing it.
WSL are seriously lost.

redmondo's picture
redmondo's picture
redmondo Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 6:55pm

In mine surveying we had to do a bit of fudging here and there. Always liked lip service as a saying. No way to face book from me.

Elliedog's picture
Elliedog's picture
Elliedog Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 1:18pm

The photo says it all really doesn't it. Mind you so does the article today re surf clinics at Macaroni's resort (not bagging Swellnet) ... love you guys.....trying not be too negative but...…… where did it all go wrong?.

adam12's picture
adam12's picture
adam12 Friday, 19 Oct 2018 at 3:46pm

Please keep your link going Stu, great way to avoid the incessant ads. I just kill the page and wait a minute then bang, back up no ads. Brilliant, worth the price of subscription alone .
As for Facebook, greatest con in modern history. No one knew it's worth, still don't I believe, so Mr Z. was able to bullshit his way to where it is today. The FANGS have looked a bit shaky lately, perhaps the world/markets are starting to see things aren't always what they seem in a virtual world.

Standito's picture
Standito's picture
Standito Thursday, 25 Oct 2018 at 7:32am

FBis another element for control of the masses. Interesting point a mate made;
“So it sends you all the things you ‘like’ and avoids sending things you don’t. (what you’re interested in and what you’re not)
So you become an ignorant king of your own cage”.
Freedom of mind.... ?
Ahhh... 1984, was a good year.
Thanks George.

Billyw's picture
Billyw's picture
Billyw Thursday, 25 Oct 2018 at 7:41am

FB, WSL app, subscription, sign in......whatever - the problem is that the actual 'product' is deteriorating. Contest Directors willing to sacrifice the best conditions for the best viewing numbers, priority rules that result in long periods of no waves being surfed, bizarre judging where progression is only possible if you do an air (no reward for progressive rail surfing at all), shocking commentating - like unwatchable cringe, removing truly epic waves from the tour in favour of ridiculously boring wave pool. I have always followed the tour but this year has been the nail for me. Done.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Thursday, 25 Oct 2018 at 1:52pm

A bump for Stu, have you had a chance to put down any thoughts concerning my question above?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 25 Oct 2018 at 2:15pm

Ha...no, not yet Johnno.

Soon.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Thursday, 25 Oct 2018 at 8:41pm

:)

(you might note the waitress has begun to serve that tech crash I ordered)

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Friday, 9 Nov 2018 at 8:46pm

June: PM calls for Zuckerberg to testify before Australian Parliament over Oz data mining.

Today! [INCIDENT] {R.I.P}

[Police Message] ? (I must of slightly misunderstood! Pay no attention!)

"Surrender Terror Plot evidence to facebook"...(Subscribe to #1 Terror cell recruitment site)
........................................................................................................................................................
......[ I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that]......[Computer Says No]......[Does Not Compute].......
........................................................................................................................................................
.....and that was the day Australia blew up the internet *______________________________

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Saturday, 10 Nov 2018 at 8:34pm

Oz security chief Zukerberg will have ISIS sort facebook Police evidence for Bourke St DVD.
Dutto can subscribe for a copy via Net-flix.

Onto matters of National Security
Free 2 Air - 1 day cricket?
Numbers! You want numbers! You can't handle numbers!
Last... England v Oz + S.A. v Oz (1 day series) averaged 950,000 Free TV viewers per city!
Foxtel's first (ODI) S.A. v OZ averaged 205,000 Pay TV viewers per city.
Oz v Tonga Boof-ball drummed up more knuckleheads.

Given the horror train it's only fair to exhibit total number comparisons...
Game 1 Optus Stadium Crowd 24,342 ( smallest crowd last season= 24,329)
Game 2 Adelaide Oval Crowd 17,680 (note 2014-17 had fewer in weathered dead rubbers)
Prior to Tricky Dicky's Sticky Wicket ... average 2017 season Crowd 36,032

https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/foxtel-s-first-tilt-at...

Foxtel A League (Viewer numbers)
2017 (Down 24%)
2018 (Down 31%)

Facebook Surfing
2018 (juicing Numbers)

joakse's picture
joakse's picture
joakse Friday, 28 Dec 2018 at 8:58am

The metrics are fake. Wonder what this means for all web content let alone WSL. Facebook are taking a smashing lately ; )

" Take something as seemingly simple as how we measure web traffic. Metrics should be the most real thing on the internet: They are countable, trackable, and verifiable, and their existence undergirds the advertising business that drives our biggest social and search platforms. Yet not even Facebook, the world’s greatest data–gathering organization, seems able to produce genuine figures. In October, small advertisers filed suit against the social-media giant, accusing it of covering up, for a year, its significant overstatements of the time users spent watching videos on the platform (by 60 to 80 percent, Facebook says; by 150 to 900 percent, the plaintiffs say). According to an exhaustive list at MarketingLand, over the past two years Facebook has admitted to misreporting the reach of posts on Facebook Pages (in two different ways), the rate at which viewers complete ad videos, the average time spent reading its “Instant Articles,” the amount of referral traffic from Facebook to external websites, the number of views that videos received via Facebook’s mobile site, and the number of video views in Instant Articles.

Can we still trust the metrics? After the Inversion, what’s the point? Even when we put our faith in their accuracy, there’s something not quite real about them: My favorite statistic this year was Facebook’s claim that 75 million people watched at least a minute of Facebook Watch videos every day — though, as Facebook admitted, the 60 seconds in that one minute didn’t need to be watched consecutively. Real videos, real people, fake minutes". -NYMag

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Friday, 28 Dec 2018 at 11:55am

Excellent research joakse...

(Barefaced Spin is now trending)
Check out the Royal Banking commission..
"I screwed your daughter at Xmas party!" "I forged Grans Xmas Club passbook!"

Big end are also blatant masters of 'numbers' spin.
Buses commuted up to 320,000 passengers during Gold Coast Indy (1995-2005)
Light Rail commuted up to 180,000 passengers during Gold Coast 600 (2018)
Gold Coast Bulletin.."GC600 Light Rail Chaos-Commuters Stranded"

Qld Govt Light Rail business case: GCLR hauls record event crowds! Stage 3 [Tick]

*10 years of recent prior #1 Govt event transit history is mothballed
*Blatant ignorance that "Timeshare Trolley" (max'@ Chaos) (Halves event size)
*Govt bare faced 100% lies on City's #1 event

Lies with numbers are now so big they reshape a new convoluted reality.

A month apart GCB report worst event transit to best event transit. (Same event)
+ Running PROMOS for Light Rail to top it off...just bend over! (Rewrite the News)

Yes OK ! Gold Coast Comm Games was bigger over a few weeks?
Govt handed 'Wangaratta busie' Qld's largest ever Bus transit contract.
A fleet of 960 buses all 2hrs late from 1st to every other venue.('Uber drivers blog')
Truth was closer to Wacky Races fleet of 6 makeshift weird arsed old school buses.

Govt love playing the numbers game as long as we're paying.

Qld Govt argue with Telstra to wave [ALERT] fees.
Nor [facebook] from sabotaging [ALERT] [Subscribe for nearest Shelter Location]

Tech Giants are profiteering off Disaster,Famine & War.(Someones gotta Pay?)
Without a doubt we see the biggest,sleaziest & greasiest racing to the bottom..

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truebluebasher Saturday, 29 Dec 2018 at 12:15pm

To think Cricket Australia were sitting atop of the heap 2 years ago...
Now a trainwreck... in every form of the game...Not even Big Bash can excite.
Foxtel/GREED are to blame for Cricket's demise...going going....

Last Year Big Bash lost a lot of ground now part/ Paywall switch is killing off game.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/bbl-attendance-down-as-ca-looks-to-...

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truebluebasher Thursday, 18 Feb 2021 at 12:56pm

tbb is restocking swellnet [f] News Content after Oz Censorship Board Wipeout.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-18/bom-health-authorities-betoota-ca...

https://news104.com/health-authorities-bom-posts-go-down-in-facebook-new...

Hot Tip for the Boss...swellnet #1 meme Anomaly on Google image search...
Sheepdog's Oz site memes are Bossing Google & breaking the internet...
If crew keep flooding swellnet with memes we own Google's arse..
Forget inquiry ...lets make Ben a Media Magnate of swellmeme inc.

swellnet rates well on Google image response...not sure if it's an anomaly.
Novel foundation for Ben's media empire...Here's a current example...

Google search [ swellnet facebook News content is pulled ] Past week...

Watch how image search actually targets last week better than the (All) search.
That's an anomaly on image search that most Mega media would kill for!
There are many reasons...but tbb won't out Ben's World Domination Plot.

1) memo...meme
https://www.google.com/search?q=swellnet+facebook+News+content+is+pulled...

2) memo...meme
https://www.google.com/search?q=swellnet+facebook+News+content+is+pulled...

3) memo...meme
https://www.google.com/search?q=swellnet+facebook+News+content+is+pulled...

News Cadet - Blowin meme
https://www.google.com/search?q=swellnet+facebook+News+content+is+pulled...

Sports Editor- Hiccups meme
https://www.google.com/search?q=swellnet+facebook+News+content+is+pulled...

Can crew see...more memes & we become the internet.
swellmemes inc. Tribal Council bans facebook Foilee Reports (That's how we roll...)
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/07/20/20/30987112-0-image-a-27_1595271...