GD, I will add to this about the 'sentiment effect'.
Prior to my accident in 2007, I spent most of my working life, directly or indirectly involved with media, advertising, focus groups, or board discussions where I provided input or received instructions as Senior management for some large Corporations.
It is well known today that Social Media Influencers (individuals or groups) through volume postings can affect sentiment for or against products. The Reddit debacle proved that agenda biased posters can affect the buying/selling decisions of investors. Ma and Pa , you referred to.
HC, outside of Reddit is probably one of the largest trade discussion platforms on the web where hundreds of thousands of investors flock to try and catch some idea of what is happening with stocks or ride a Swing Trade wave. Posters that blame positive posters for their investments and then deny that their own negative comments or others affect any decision making are in denial to protect themselves in case anything goes sideways. Full stop!
People get paid to be negative Social media influencers. People get paid to short stocks with rumours or distortion of facts. There are companies who engage media or commercial tactics, which can include commentary or planting rumours, to commercially sabotage another competitor.
There have been companies who have taken posters from HotCopper to court for continued defamatory comments or making false statements or posting wrong material as fact. The companies won and the posters lost a lot of money. Just Google about HC and defamation. That is why I believe HC took the steps a few years ago to really tighten their ship up. Which I applaud. They are a discussion platform only and not a publishing house.
This is a sobering post to read. An oldie but a goodie. Post #:
10435390Regarding my comments about the influencers Google "People paid to write negative comments on products." It is called "Reputation management" Reputation management is the effort to influence what and how people think of a brand or person when viewed online
Look it up. You will find it an interesting read.
https://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-2376-i-get-paid-to-write-fake-reviews-amazon.html
