Frequently, I need to answer the question, “Is this source of information reliable?”. Lately, I have been thinking that a decentralized platform to post reviews for websites and see aggregated statistics about those reviews would be pretty useful.
While I am open to any suggestions, the software being OSS and decentralized is important for me to consider the platform reliable.
Also, I believe the optimal review platform should hold at least ratings, tags, and text.
I think ANY platform for reviews is going to get gamed and flooded with fake reviews. I don’t see how decentralization would solve that.
Not true, I could set up a WordPress blog and start writing reviews. As long as it stays a niche thing I share with a couple of friends online, that “review platform” won’t be gamed or flooded by fake reviews.
My point being that closed “publishing” instances can be reliable.
Sure, there can absolutely be reliable sources of reviews. The problem is in verifying what is reliable and what isn’t. Why in the hell would I ever trust some random dude’s WordPress blog as a reliable source of reviews? I would have no way of knowing that companies aren’t paying you or giving you free products.
Outside of something like consumer reports, which has built up a reputation over a long period of time, how does one figure out that a source is reliable? Review the reviewers? Those reviews would just get gamed too.