Rise of Rating Sites

There was a nice article in the Boston Globe, Ratings sites flourish behind a veil of anonymity, which discusses all these rating sites that are emerging. There seem to be a specialized version of community sites like dig and newsvine and more focused aspects of the rise in rating in places like Amazon and many travel sites. This all part of the increased participation in the web.

The Globe article raises a good point.

“The sites provide a wealth of easily accessible, virtually uncensored information that can help consumers choose a doctor, lawyer or other service provider. But they are denounced by critics who say they don't provide enough protection from angry clients, dissatisfied patients, disgruntled students, jealous colleagues, or estranged friends and relatives who can use them to post malicious comments, or from manipulation by people who give themselves high rankings to falsely inflate their reputations.”

The same can happen with Amazon book reviews. When I look at ratings of restaurants and hotels, I try to look through the logic and substance of what is being said but even that can be easily twisted by someone who is a good writer. In the end the wisdom of crowds may sort out those who operate in bad faith but it may take a while.

Speaking of crowds, the Globe said that RateMyTeachers.com rates more than 1.2 million teachers, while RateMDs.com has rates 34,000 doctors and LawyerRatingz.com rates of only 1,300 lawyers nationwide. I went to my state but did not find any of my docs.

I went to the rating site they the globe promoted, The Ratingz Network, which says it “is the place where you can read and post anonymous, independent ratings and reviews of places and services in your community and across the US.”

Their prescription drug ratings had small numbers of raters for most drugs so the tyranny of small numbers is the current norm on this site. However, this is trend, customers talking back, that is on the rise everywhere.