The changes to voting that will be introduced

There is little doubt that CH5 intend that the Social Media interaction will be used to enhance vote numbers.  According to some reports CH5 'squandered'  money that could have been and should have been used for LF on 'FB Apps' & probably 'Twitter Apps'.  They have yet to show anything on FB or Twitter that looks remotely new so it seems probable that the Apps in question are to do with voting.

Presuming that is the case the question must be why?
Its a fair bet that voting numbers have been sliding for years and yet they (votes) are the best revenue stream: All they do is put up a phone number and people give them money.  To justify their costs so far they need a good solid vote stream, but they cannot expect to get it with the amount of TV coverage they are providing so they have to think that we can be 'encouraged' to vote more easily via FB/Twitter.

Perhaps they imagine that we can be whipped into a voting frenzy by all the brilliant pro-BB conversations we are having on FB.  Their experience so far with a large percentage of responders asking for Live Feed and the majority of the rest complaining about that activity, can hardly have been what they imagined.
Perhaps they think that they can provide a secure on-line voting system that will not be as financially painful as text and phone voting.  That seems unlikely though as does the concept of them providing cheaper votes.  So far it hasn't happened and I don't think it will.
Perhaps they think that a mob mentality will consume us and we will all discuss doing block voting to ensure our favourite makes it.

So where are they now?
They think we will vote more easily and perhaps in some sort of 'team voting' brought on by collective BB hysteria.  If that is it they are wasting their time and have never analysed the difference in reality between those who say they are voting on the forums and those who are actually putting their hands in their pockets.

Looks like CH5 are in for a rude awakening when they start counting the receipts regardless of new apps or not.  You cannot get blood out of a stone and you certainly cannot get voting money out of stoney hearted (long term and bitter about the lack of Live Feed) BB fans.

NB. From FB
Slack Alice 

I was told it only costs 7p to vote now. That is pretty disappointing as it means that every time I don't vote now I only save 7p and not 35p. I will have to not vote 5 times as often to make the same saving.

Interesting point though.  Do they think that reducing the cost per vote to 7p (80% reduction) will result in more votes?  If it only gets them 5 times as many votes then financially they are no better off than they were before.  I suspect that the actual voting figures are Commercial in Confidence (and extremely depressing reading as well)

From Heatworld:
TheBig Brother voting app will be powered by Facebook Credits, which can be purchased via the FB payment tab in Account Settings or from the BB Vote app on the Big Brother Facebook page. Each vote will cost no more than 7pence. Still with us? Good. Here’s so more info…

Facebook Credits are available from as little as £1.00, or you can choose to purchase larger bundles of Facebook Credits and save money with a discounted rate. Throughout the run of Big Brother 2011, Facebook Credits can be used whenever housemates are up for eviction and the standard voting lines are open. Viewers will be able to place up to 500 votes per eviction.

Jeff Ford, Director of Programmes at Channel 5 is particularly exited, “Thanks to this integration with Facebook, we are able to provide Big Brother fans with the opportunity to vote via Facebook - a first in UK broadcasting. Big Brother is the sort of show that works extremely well in conjunction with social media platforms, and this app will allow fans to get even more involved in the show.”

So each FB account can spend 7p x 500 per eviction = £35.  Obviously if punters have 10 FB accounts they can spend a potential £350 *lol*
Good luck Mr Gorsky

Update 2:

Viewers can buy bundles of Credits which will allocate them a certain number of votes. 
10 Facebook Credits buys 12 votes and costs 63p, while 
20 Credits buys 24 votes at £1.26; 
40 Credits buy 50 votes at £2.53, and 
80 Credits buys 100 votes at £5.06.