Guerrilla marketting through sham forum accts

[Riddil]

It was my old college days the last time I could claim to be a "gamer", but I still like to keep up with penny-arcade. Welp, Tycho has had an interesting discussion the past couple days. He posts a few emails from folks that outline "guerrilla marketting" companies that will hire people to create dozens of different identities on forums all over the web with the expressed intent to drub up support for whatever their firm is pushing.

Personally I find it unethical. Forums are a great escape to be able to bleed your innermost thoughts... things you couldn't share with friends or family. And you can get away with it becaue here you're not "Jane Doe", you're "Ann Nyalator".

But the thought that other people out there are "false" identities, planted to simply build "cred" on the forum by planting replies, and building personalities... well... it seems a little unethical.

So anyhow! There's only a few forums I respect, even though I tend to lurk here 99.98% of the time. But, since it's one of the few where I actually respect the discussion that goes on, I think it's fitting to bring it up. The cellar really helped me pull through a... tumultuous time right after a break-up. So, what are your thoughts? Think that the cellar has been "infiltrated"? And if so... does it matter?

*ponder*