{{tasks|src|re-review}}Sunday, January 5, 2014 {{abandoned|January 14, 2014}}
Viral marketing company Swenzy recently gained international news coverage regarding its various hoaxes and its connection with a 2012 YouTube view count enforcement. Wikinews asked Swenzy about the company, hoaxes, and YouTube.
Swenzy is known for its viral hoax campaigns, including “Dawn of 2014”, “Remember The 13th”, “Brian’s Announcement”, “GTA: City Of Paradise”, and “Opblackout”. The actual focus of these campaigns is unclear but news media confirm that each has a connection with the YouTube services offered by the company.
Swenzy also offers services like Facebook likes, YouTube views, and Instagram followers, all of which can generate further traffic for a company or other group. These type of sites are controversial. There have been news media reports of Swenzy involvement in YouTube black market tactics involving big music companies, including inflating view counts for celebrities which saw a two billion view deletion.
Swenzy shut down their YouTube service temporarily which was reported by news media, and sparked controversy.
Wikinews: When was your company established? What motivated you?
WNHow did the “Swenzy name originate? What does it stand for?
WNWhy did you start doing hoax campaigns?
WNWhy did you shut down your YouYube views service temporarily?
WNDo you have a connection with the 2012 View Count Scandal?
WNHave any celebrities tried to buy social services from you?
WNWhat is the main purpose of the hoaxes you perform?
WNHow do you perform your hoax campaigns?
WNWould you like to share any details regarding the View count scandal and Swenzy?
WNWhy do you think the view count enforcement occurred?
WNDo you think another one will occur in the future?
WNWill the YouTube service you provide ever be shut down?
WNWhy did you rebrand from SocialVEVO? Did you have an issue with VEVO?
WNYour Opblackout was shut down by the FBI, Can you tell me more about that?
WNDo you confirm news reports that Swenzy is connected to the View Count scandal from 2012?
WNWould you share notable artists that you have worked with?
WNFernando Alfonso from The Daily Dot talked to an ex-employee of your company, Do you know who “JUICE” is?
WNFernando also suggested “Jacob”, who botted a video called ‘Pickles’ to be working with you, Is this true?
WNWhat do you think about The Daily Dot exposing your company of recent hoaxes and scandals?
WNCinema Blend covered 3 video game hoaxes, was Swenzy behind those 3 hoaxes?
WNWilliam Usher also suggested “Socialevo” was tied to Swenzy, Can you confirm this?
WNApart from your YouTube service, Why haven’t your other services receive media attention?
WNMusicians and YouTube partners are rumored to have bought views to increase popularity and ad revenue, Do you know anything about this?
WNWill you continue to engineer hoaxes throughout 2014?
WNWhat are your goals with these viral campaign hoaxes?