Why You Shouldn't Trust Internet Comments

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Why You Shouldn't Trust Internet Comments

Posted by Soulskill on Friday August 9, 2013 @02:54AM from the because-they're-internet-comments dept.

sciencehabit writes "A new study suggests that all the reviews you read on Yelp and Amazon are easily manipulated. It's not that companies are stacking the deck, necessarily, it's that a few positive comments early on can influence future commenters. In fact, when researchers gamed the system on a real news aggregation site, the items received fake positive votes from the researchers were 32% more likely to receive more positive votes compared with a control (abstract). And those comments were no more likely than the control to be down-voted by the next viewer to see them. By the end of the study, positively manipulated comments got an overall boost of about 25%. However, the same did not hold true for negative manipulation. The ratings of comments that got a fake down vote were usually negated by an up vote by the next user to see them."

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Excuse me?! by Seumas · 2013-08-09 02:56 · Score: 5, Funny

This comment is IMMENSELY trustworthy!
1. Re:Excuse me?! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-09 02:59 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I heartily endorse that statement.
  By the way, Coca-cola is delicious.
2. Re:Excuse me?! by oodaloop · 2013-08-09 03:28 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  A+++++++++ would mod again.
  
  --
  Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
3. Re:Excuse me?! by ackthpt · 2013-08-09 03:30 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  This comment is IMMENSELY trustworthy!
  I have found that 1 + 1 = 3 for very large values of 1.
  no citation required, comment speaks for its own veracity
  
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  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Amazing by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-09 02:58 · Score: 5, Funny

What an excellent report. I read this to my Son and he loved it, would recommend to anyone and definitely read again. 5*
1. Re:Amazing by MickyTheIdiot · 2013-08-09 03:23 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I agree, and my daughter makes $1500 AT HOME. ****>>>CHECK IT OUT!!!****
2. Re:Amazing by KingMotley · 2013-08-09 03:51 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I know she does. Perhaps you should take away her video cam.
Tell me about it by finkployd · 2013-08-09 02:58 · Score: 5, Funny

I've been here for over a decade and I STILL have yet to see Natalie Portman naked and petrified, despite all the hype.
Also, I miss OOG The Caveman.
1. Re:Tell me about it by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-09 03:24 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Better yet: A Beowulf cluster of insensitive sharks using their lasers to melt away the grits from Natalie Portman's back and yelling, "In Soviet Engrish, all our grit are belong to you!"
2. Re:Tell me about it by Noughmad · 2013-08-09 03:55 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  just imagine a beowulf cluster of insensitive clods!
  I think this is the perfect description of Slashdot.
  
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  PlusFive Slashdot reader for Android. Can post comments.
This slashdot thread by neminem · 2013-08-09 02:58 · Score: 4, Funny

is the best slashdot thread we've seen all week! I love it!
Re:Well sure by 6ULDV8 · 2013-08-09 07:31 · Score: 4, Funny

people are predisposed to liking what they spent money on.
I don't know about that. I spent a bunch of money on an ex-wife and I don't like her much at all.

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Pull my finger for my public key.