How Computer Geeks Aim to Put a Stop to Fake Online Reviews

When researching a product to buy one of the major things to check for are the reviews from both professions and users.  Businesses have taken notice of the reviews posted on websites and add fake reviews in order to promote themselves.  This deception has not gone unnoticed and we are seeing groups of researchers and websites start to track fake reviews.

Just how prevalent are fake online reviews? One indication is how overtly some businesses pay for them. Fake Review Writer is one of the categories of gigs listed at Freelancer.com. The Web page doesn’t beat around the bush, boldly encouraging businesses to “Outsource fake review writer projects!” Nobody’s getting rich writing fake reviews; the pay might be as little as $1 for 500 words. But online ratings and reviews affect consumer perceptions as well as how high a business appears in online search results, both of which can translate into big money.

While these efforts might not stop all the fake reviews, the less I have to wonder the truth in a glowing 5 star review in a sea of 1 and 2 star reviews for the same product.

Related Web URL: http://moneyland.time.com/2012/02/06/how-computer-...