FG denies buying likes on Facebook

In a week where it has already denied buying votes with Budget 2015, Fine Gael has now had to reject claims that it is paying people to like it.

The party’s digital media department has claimed its Facebook page was spammed after eagle-eyed social media users noticed many of the “likes” on Fine Gael’s Budget Q&A were coming from fake accounts.

The post-budget online chat with junior minister Simon Harris received more than 2,500 likes, but closer scrutiny of those revealed scores of accounts based in Asia. “It does appear that FG bought 2,000 ‘likes’ from an Indian or Pakistani company,” one user posted on Fine Gael’s page. “If you click on the people who like there is barely a single Irish or European name, and I’m not being racist, most are currently stated as living in Pakistan or India.”

Fine Gael claimed the post was spammed, and the party has since denied buying likes.

“Apologies folks, we appear to have been spammed on the post below by a number of inauthentic Facebook users. These users are posting requests for you to add them, among other things. Please do not engage. We hope to have this rectified at the earliest convenience,” the party posted.

Fake likes can be bought from so-called click farms; teams of low-paid workers who are employed to endorse Facebook pages and posts in the hopes that the increased likes will boost the page’s prominence on users’ news feeds. Some companies offer 1,000 likes for approximately $15 (€11.70). The click farms, usually based in Asia, are seen as a major threat to Facebook’s authenticity.

So while there have been many cases of groups engaging in the questionable practice to boost their online presence, Fine Gael insist that those accusing them of paying click farms to promote its budget chat aren’t comparing like with like.