It should probably be obvious that many online reviews of restaurants, events, hotels, and other such services are often posted by the venues or services themselves. There is nothing to stop them from assuming fake identities and posting the most glowing reports about what they have to offer as a way of plumping up the positive feedback percentages.

Apparently this practice will become outlawed in the UK and the US in 2008. Until then, it is up to the websites themselves to monitor for falsified reviews and the like on their websites.

I’m pleasantly surprised to learn that two of the biggest ones are actually taking the initiative: Priceline and Expedia have begun employing fraud experts to monitor their readers’ reviews and make sure that those who post them have actually stayed at specific hotels or used specific transportation hubs.

Travel Web sites clamp down on bogus reviews [reuters.com]