Party pill pushers fake news website as publicity stunt

A website designed to look like the TV3 homepage has been uncovered as a creative ad to promote a new brand of party pills.

Pill manufacturer Evolve Technologies created the fake website, www.3news.net.nz, featuring an almost identical layout to the broadcaster's site, including a "breaking news" video about the new drugs.

TV3 confirmed its lawyers had issued the fake website's administrators with a cease and desist notice, forcing them to pull the site this week.

It declined further comment on the site for fear of giving the manufacturer publicity.

The "speedy" and "sensory" party pills were launched in Auckland this week and have a Facebook group dedicated to their promotion.

Group administrators posted a message on the site on Tuesday expressing surprise that the fake TV3 website had not then been pulled down.

It read: "Oh my! it looks as if we've had the 3news.net.nz site for over 24 hours now.

"We expected to have lawyers on the phone and to be shut down incredibly quickly."

Hillary Souter, executive director of New Zealand's Advertising Standards Authority, said the ad could potentially breach the truthful presentation rules under the code of ethics, but they had not received any complaints about the site.

"It's unusual to have such extreme examples like this," she said, "and in these cases the websites need to be removed."

A spokeswoman for the Commerce Commission said they received no complaints about the website, but in general the Fair Trading Act does not endorse any traders who are misleading in their advertising.

It is not the first time fake websites have made headlines. In 2003, the www.tardme.co.nz website was created as a dig at Trade Me.