Not saying that it won’t happen, or that it can’t happen, just that it hasn’t happened yet, so if a young looking blond TechCruncher in a pushup bra friends you on Facebook, beware.
“TechCrunch employee” Rani Girard is apparently going around friending guys in the tech community for, well, reasons. Her jig was up when she/he/it tried to forge a Facebook connection with Wired writer Ryan Tate, who immediately brought it to our attention. Also, I’m pretty sure “she” isn’t real.
Sure it’s sort of flattering that someone out there on the shadynets might think that a hot girl could pass as a tech blogger ;) and that apparently you can use the TechCrunch brand to reel in marks on Facebook. Wooo! Marketing.
But it’s also really creepy: What’s the ultimate objective of this? Something dubious obviously, anything from getting unpaid Facebook ads and shares in front of unsuspecting techie targets or propagating computer viruses or who knows. Clicking on those Polish websites under her “Interests” offers some clue; Pozycjonowanie SEO, sounds legit.
So, if a snazzy little number who you don’t know tries to friend you on Facebook, and you’re like “Oh TechCrunch, I love that site!” please don’t bite. Because you dear TechCrunch reader, are smarter than that.
That’s all.
Update: This.