Have you ever read an online review and wondered if it were legitimate? The reason I ask is there is a marketing rule at the FTC which makes it against the law to act as a deceptive shrill promoting a product or service with fake reviews, and if you are paid or have a financial interest in the product, then you are really breaking the law if you don't tell the reader, yet go on hyping things. The biggest challenge I suppose is trying to catch those who are making false claims, bogus raving reviews, or trying to mislead all of us online.

Well, now there may be a solution, and maybe the law enforcement crowd for marketing, namely the Federal Trade Commission, aka FTC, can use a new tool to fight online business criminal marketing activity. Indeed, there was an interesting post not long ago on SlashDot posted by my favorite poster Soulskill on July 26, 2011, which was titled "Cornell Software Fingers Fake Online Reviews" where Soulskill cites Eric Smalley who stated:

"Most people aren't actually good at detecting fake positive consumer reviews. Fortunately technology is poised to make up for this all-too-human failing. Cornell University researchers have developed software that they say can detect fake reviews." And guess what the CNET original article said; "The software got it right about 90% of the time. This is a big improvement over the average person, who can detect fake reviews only about 50%."

If this program were used in a way as to scan product reviews, and even websites with testimonials, then it would be rather easy to find the culprits who by now probably range in the 10s of millions. Then the FTC could have an automated system contact each of the websites, and their commenting shrills, and warn them of this law, just in case they pretend not to know. Once warned, they'd be on record and it would be much easier to bring a little justice online.

Further, the mere warning of fake shrills ought to eliminate 100s of thousands of fake reviews, and prevent 10s of millions of people from continuing their dastardly shrilling deeds. In fact, I estimate it could eliminate 70-80% of the fraudulent reviews out there, and it might do that rather quickly in fact. If the FTC is really interested in fighting online marketing fraud, then maybe this might be the best tactic to use to get rid of those who abuse. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,300 articles will be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

http://www.worldthinktank.net/