Monday, November 30, 2009

Facebook's Farmville loses its country glow

The reputation of Farmville, one of the most popular applications on Facebook, has fallen into a ditch following the launch of a class action by some of its users over an alleged billing scam.

The addictive farming application has amassed 60 million players worldwide and is just one of several popular social networking games created by US developer Zynga for Facebook and MySpace users.

Its legion of fans log in daily to harvest their crops, tend to livestock, visit neighbours' farms and even have their own community websites devoted to discussing agricultural endeavours and showcasing feats of virtual landscaping.

However, some of these loyal fans are now complaining of unauthorised payments taken from their credit cards after participating in promotions linked to game which serve to generate in-game currency or other rewards.

According to a statement issued by Kershaw, Cutter & Ratinoff, the legal firm that filed class action, users “may have been charged without their consent for 'special offers' that result in unauthorised bank, credit, or phone charges, sometimes through the use of phone text messages and auto-recurring SMS subscriptions”.

Run along similar lines to classic SMS subscription scams, other popular Zynga titles such as MafiaWars, VampireWars, and Fishworld are also believed to have run promotions with unforeseen terms and conditions in their fine print.

KCR said many of these offers “make it very difficult - or impossible - for users to get their money refunded” and it has launched a class action against Zynga and Facebook and MySpace, claiming they are liable for the actions of their advertisers, according to documents published on Gawker.

The action comes just as the Zynga brand was making its big break into the mainstream. The company recently secured $US15 million in new funding, and also was named Hot Brand by US magazine Advertising Age last month.

Neither Facebook nor Zynga replied to smh.com.au inquiries about the action, but Zynga founder Mark Pincus recently wrote on his blog: “We recognise it is our responsibility to ensure that offers which generate a bad user experience are not shown with any of our games. therefore, we are removing all CPA offers across Zynga games until we can control their inclusion and presentation ourselves.

"My mission is to build Zynga into a sustainable consumer service with enduring value to our users. we will continue to do whatever it takes to earn our users trust and respect for the long-term.”

Facebook has also recently moved to boost standards among third-party applications. The company abolished its “Verified apps” scheme today and plans to review all applications on an ongoing basis.

“The Verification standards are now required of all applications on Platform and we're providing new principles, simplified policies and supporting examples to help developers understand what it takes to meet these standards,” the company wrote on its website.

Farmville farmers raise $700,000 for Haiti

A few years ago I made a pronouncement on a social media panel that digital goods would redefine the way we do charitable giving online. Needless to say, there were snickers. After all, how could "throwing a beer" at someone or giving someone a "fluffy kitty" for their birthday really amount to anything, especially at a $1 price point?
But now, thanks to Zynga, I can safely say my pronouncement has been confirmed. After writing the article last month on digital farming, I checked in with Farmville creator Mark Pincus and he said that to date virtual farmers had purchased $700,000 worth of "Sweet Corn" seeds, the proceeds of which go to feed children in poverty-stricken Haiti.

As someone who helps nonprofits create online funding campaigns, this is a Moses-parting-the-seas kind of success which just a year ago would have been almost impossible to imagine. It will be interesting to see where Zynga goes from here. There is no doubt a new philanthropic wellspring has been located!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

There's plenty of joy in Farmville

I have won ribbons for being a Green Thumb, a Tree Hugger, a Crop Whisperer and Cream of the Crop.

I've harvested perfect bunches of daffodils and tulips and given them away to my friends from my magic Garden Shed.

Even as I type, I have rows of grapes sparkling with Super Grow fertilizer sprinkled by kind Farmville Neighbors. The vineyard will probably be ready for harvest tonight, earning me more coins to buy barns and birdbaths.

Life is good on my Farmville farm.

Yes, it's a game, a computer game, a Facebook application.

I don't usually play games, particularly computer and video games. I think they're a colossal waste of time. Poker I like because money's involved. And board games teach kids how to win, lose, count and spell. Those games have a purpose.

Farmville doesn't seem to have one. I love it anyway.

I talk to my Farmville Friends as happily about events in our make-believe world as we garden friends talk about our real-life blossoms and nematodes.

(There are no nematodes in Farmville, by the way.)

"I'd really like to grow blueberries, but they get ripe too fast. They'll dry up before I can get back to harvest them."

"Love your new mailbox!"

"Wow! You got a pink cow! Lucky you!"

When my husband overhears these conversations, he eavesdrops with interest until he catches on.

"You're talking about a game," he says with disdain.

And football and golf are ... what?

I'm not sure how long my infatuation with clicking to plant, clicking to harvest, and decorating my farm with violet fences and elephant topiaries will last. I suspect the end will coincide with the resumption of Daylight Savings Time on March 14.

I haven't been able to putter in my own garden after work since we "fell back" to regular time Nov. 1. It's dark when I get home. If I want garden time on a weekday, I'll have to get up extra early. ... Hmmm. Not.

So I'm planting daffodils and soybeans and looking forward to reaching Level 25, when sunflowers become an option.