Facebook warns members off using uSocial

FACEBOOK has warned that members who buy “friends” from a local online marketing company could face banishment from the social network.

Brisbane company uSocial is offering to sell friends on Facebook in batches of 1000 to 10,000 for prices from $197 to $1297.

The company caused a stir earlier this year with a similar offer to users of popular micro-blogging service Twitter seeking to increase their number of followers.

Facebook today fired back against uSocial and issued a reminder that it was against its terms of service for a user to access an account belonging to someone else or to share a password.

“It’s our understanding that uSocial logs in as a user and manipulates their account,” Facebook said.

“This is a violation of our terms by uSocial and any user who participates in their programs.

“Thus, we’d caution any customer of their service that their account and investment is in jeopardy.

“If we find a user has violated our terms we may take action against them, including permanently disabling their account.”

On its website, uSocial said “the simple fact is that with a large following on Facebook, you have an instant and targeted group of people you can contact and promote whatever it is you want to promote”.

uSocial chief executive Leon Hill said Facebook was “an extremely effective marketing tool”.

“The only problem is that it can be extremely difficult to achieve such a following, which is where we come in,” he said.

Source: bbc.co.uk/