By Kevin Byrne

Checkatrade.com

 

When I founded Checkatrade.com, I wanted previous consumer reviews to govern the future of people making decisions to use a trade or buy a product.

The internet was new and the perfect vehicle for consumers to pass on their experiences. Back then there were no review sites and chat forums that I knew of, so although I can’t prove the following, I’m certain I pioneered the “review” revolution.

I didn’t realise at the time but I created what was probably one of the first social media sites where consumers could pass on views to others. Accountability was high on my agenda. Reviews are useful when we come to purchase something, as positive and negative opinions sway people massively. But are the reviews genuine? What checks have been made, if any, to verify we are reading the truth? I doubt many people will lie about a lawn mower they’ve bought, but Trip Advisor has been criticised about restaurant owners posting bogus bad reviews about rivals. What’s in place to stop this? Does Trip Advisor check the reviews?

At Checkatrade.com we process more than 22,000 reviews a month and read every one. We spot check them and email verify nearly 50%. We will do this when we hit 250,000 a month; it’s about doing it right. The problem with the majority of review sites and chat forums is anyone can say anything about anybody with no proof or justification and get away with it, leaving damaged reputations in their wake.

The facilitators of the sites, most of which I assume are in business to make money, take no responsibility. They should be held accountable for allowing libel and defamatory comments to appear.

Reputations, often built on the solid foundations of honesty and hard work, have been badly damaged and even destroyed when bogus and unsubstantiated comments are made and read by thousands of people. Who is responsible for bogus reviews? The website owner? The perpetrator? It’s certainly not the victim.

The whole industry needs a review.

Owners of these sites need to be made accountable for what they allow to be published.