---
title: "Flickr Terminates Fake User, Red Passion"
date: 2006-12-01
author: "Richard MacManus"
categories:
  - name: "ReadWriteWeb"
    url: "/category/readwriteweb.md"
tags:
  - name: "2006"
    url: "/tag/2006.md"
---

# Flickr Terminates Fake User, Red Passion

An interesting update to our post earlier this week about [fake Social Network user profiles](https://web.archive.org/web/20110828164027/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/using_social_networks_marketing_campaigns.php), created for marketing purposes. [A Flickr forum thread](https://web.archive.org/web/20110828164027/http://flickr.com/forums/ideas/30112/) states that the Red Passion user (the one referenced in our post, representing a marketing campaign for a beverages company) has now been terminated. Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield [made this comment](https://web.archive.org/web/20110828164027/http://flickr.com/forums/ideas/30112/149706/) in the thread a few days ago:

> “Actually, I had just [come across this article on the account](https://web.archive.org/web/20110828164027/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/using_social_networks_marketing_campaigns.php). We will probably be deleting the account, but I’m curious and this is FlickrIdeas: what do YOU think about it? “

There is some interesting debate after Stewart’s comment – not dissimilar to the opinions voiced on R/WW, that Red Passion violates some ethical principles around social networks. But the upshot is that Flickr has now terminated the Red Passion account.

![](https://web.archive.org/web/20110828164027im_/http://rww.readwriteweb.netdna-cdn.com/images/redpassion_terminated.jpg)*Hasta la vista baby!*

![](https://web.archive.org/web/20110828164027im_/http://rww.readwriteweb.netdna-cdn.com/images/campari_flickr2.jpg)*Red Passion on Flickr earlier this week, pre-termination*

*Originally published on ReadWriteWeb ([archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20020204040018/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/flickr_terminates_red_passion.php))*