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Gaslighting and Trolls; specifically on Rich White Honky Blues Hank Williams, Jr.

A really weird name pops up "Robert Berger" on this album with exactly 12 thumbs down overnight, while this fictitious character get 12 thumbs up. Do you find that a bit odd? Also, this problem with people sabotaging reviews seems to be happening more often. I've discovered a few culprits (Al King & Frederick Baptist) whom are currently posting. They seem to want to cancel each other out on their reviews quite frequently. Maybe we could model Allmusic.com after Linux's own "Google Music" where we can comment on each others comments without all this clandestined secrecy that invites trouble? What does your IT people say about that? It would certainly be more democracy friendly, and help identify those who are adamant about destroying this wonderful site, that I praise as a sort of Wikipedia of music. Hope that this helps, and makes this site even more wonderfully friendly and productive. Cheers, Murf

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MS

Also take a look at nearly any hardcore/metal/post-metal whatever reviews posted by "Simone Appolloni." Every one is "the bands (year) album is a direct clone of their previous one."   

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K

there's tens of thousands of "album reviews" from this account name. 

We investigated the thumbs down (and thumbs up) on the Hank Williams Jr. user review in question.

The accounts all have a wide variety of email addresses Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, Comcast, mac.com, Protonmail).

The activity of the users ranges -- Some have public AllMusic profiles with lots of activity (favorites, ratings, reviews, lists), some folks are less active but still hold valid accounts.

Regarding the thumbs down votes (indicating the user did not find the review to be helpful), the user accounts were created in a variety of years.

2014 1
2015 2
2016 0
2017 1
2018 0
2019 1
2020 5
2021 9
2022 2

I looked at the 9 accounts created in 2021 (a particular popular year for user accounts) and all of them seem to be legitimate users.

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MW

ZAC, i received another email today at this post; are you sending email to murfwinship@gmail.com (OUTSIDE) your web site? I do not have any blocks on anyone; remember that I do social work for Dementia Care at the University of Nevada. I must keep my email open at all times to save lives. Also keep my private phone line open for the same reason. Please work with me here, I am trying to follow your protocols. Sincerely, Murf

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MW

I just got your email here; I am hoping it is private BTW. I do get email, but it is coming in this form. Would you like to call me? I have a private land line you see.

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MW

BTW, did you ever consider that the two names are posing as ONE? I find this thought to be highly credible as you've seen on the latest Dream Syndicate album, as they both got 8 thumbs up in one night! (and I got 8 thumbs down). You can see for yourself (I deleted and reposted my review to compensate for their crime). Cheers!

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MW

Frederick Baptist and Al King are NOW the culprits at doing this ZAC. I have witnessed first hand at their decimating my posts. I hear you about originality, but this does not detract from the obvious crime being committed. I like allmusic.com and will continue with "original" posting, but to allow them "8" thumbs down in one day? What is up with that? Your IT dept needs to be aware of this, soon! Tomorrow is my Bday and I just got a schoodle named Rococo ("Arcade Fire" song you see) as a rescue pup that is occupying my time as of late. There are "Gaslighters and Trolls" infecting your reviews now; is this the democratic response we wish to portray in not only allmusic.com but America in general? (I surely hope not and I hope the truth will prevail). Thanks for listening again, and as always, you're welcomed to email me privately my friend. Pax, Murf

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Robert Berger, Frederick Baptist, and Al King did not appear in the list of users who have interacted with your review.

Murf, I worry that people downvote your reviews because they often just copy and paste what is in the AllMusic bio.

We'll take a look into this situation as well, but please write your own text for these reviews.
Taking other people's writing and pasting it in as your own is not what these User Reviews are intended for.

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