The positivity problem: why online star ratings are too good to be true
by Katie Cunningham from Technology | The Guardian on (#5GV46)
The internet can be an angry place full of cynical opinions but there's one realm where it's actually too positive: online reviews
Researchers have found that reviews on websites like Yelp and Amazon are overwhelmingly positive - something they believe renders star ratings unreliable.
A new study published in Nature has shown that upwards of 80% of online reviews rate items with four or five stars. That creates what they've termed the positivity problem" for consumers hoping to use star ratings as a guide for where to dine or shop.
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