Comments on: Local Links of Interest http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/03/03/local-links-of-interest-74/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Wed, 23 May 2012 20:49:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: panzermike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/03/03/local-links-of-interest-74/comment-page-1/#comment-336402 panzermike Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:30:32 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2585#comment-336402 Mike: Thanks for not letting this issue die. This is a real problem. My impression is that most user reviews are totally bogus. My belief is competitors trash their opponents with fake reviews and business owners write fake reviews to overcome the false reviews. My belief is that reviews should not be anonymous and that businesses like Yelp should require credit card verification in order to prove ID. It is lame the way you will see like 10 or 15 positive reviews, all posted within a two or three day period as well. These are obviously gamed! User reviews are simply not trustworthy without a sound policy to ensure they are REAL! But conversely, average folks don't know this and they can unfairly enrich a business, or unfairly and more often than not, punish a business. Mike: Thanks for not letting this issue die. This is a real problem. My impression is that most user reviews are totally bogus.

My belief is competitors trash their opponents with fake reviews and business owners write fake reviews to overcome the false reviews.

My belief is that reviews should not be anonymous and that businesses like Yelp should require credit card verification in order to prove ID.

It is lame the way you will see like 10 or 15 positive reviews, all posted within a two or three day period as well. These are obviously gamed! User reviews are simply not trustworthy without a sound policy to ensure they are REAL!

But conversely, average folks don’t know this and they can unfairly enrich a business, or unfairly and more often than not, punish a business.

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