Rather quirky attempt at publicity today from eco-travel site ResponsibleTravel.com after claiming it was hacked by a non-malicious user but decided to keep the content.
An email to media and users this morning from managing director Justin Francis claimed site security was breached over the Easter Holiday period and messages posted to Tips for Responsible Travel page.
The messages were in fact images uploaded into the system with text urging readers to “resist the temptation to default to the ‘uniform’ of zip off trousers” and other marginally off-kilter messages.
In his message, Francis claims that until the hacker(s) can be identified it is considering leaving the content on the site.
A spokesperson says they have “allowed the ‘hacked’ points to stay up because they are fun, provocative and liberating”.
Unsurprisingly it has since emerged unofficially that the email is just a marketing ploy to grab attention by the mainstream media on a new initiative to be launched later this week.
What day did it go up? April 1 perchance?
@caitlin – nope, not 1 April, over the weekend.
Yikes. Nothing more embarrassing than a fake hacker attempt. Why would you lie about having less than adequate security? And then to caught in the lie and have it be for marketing purposes. Not so responsible I would say.
@stephen – irresponsibletravel.com?!
I agree, pretty embarrassing. I haven’t read anything anywhere other than the official line that this actually was a ‘nice’ hacker. What’s next? Are the hackers going to start doing some design work? Maybe improve the search, start writing newsletters?
@Tim B
I have no idea why others didn’t pick up on the marketing element of the announcement. Maybe they didn’t ask the right (and obvious!) questions?!?