People. Companies. A more informed tomorrow.
RRSource helps you see the bigger picture — real experiences, verified information and what happened after the job.
Star ratings were meant to make trust simple. Fake reviews, missing context and no right of reply have made them unreliable. Here is what better looks like.
Online reviews promised to democratise trust: instead of relying on advertising, you could read what real customers said. For many purchases they still help. But fake reviews, bought ratings and one-sided accounts have eroded the confidence people once placed in a row of five stars.
Businesses have been caught buying positive reviews, paying for negative reviews of competitors and suppressing unfavourable ones. Regulators have started to respond. In the United States, for example, the Federal Trade Commission adopted a rule — which took effect in October 2024 — prohibiting the sale and purchase of fake consumer reviews and testimonials, undisclosed insider reviews, company-controlled "independent" review sites and certain review suppression practices. Other countries have introduced or strengthened similar consumer protection rules.
Even genuine reviews have limits:
The result is that a single angry post can outweigh years of good conduct, and a well-organised fake campaign can bury a genuine problem.
RRSource was built around those five principles. A report on RRSource is a first-hand account, not a verdict. The person named can respond, evidence is attached where available, and only a completed Resolution can make a report eligible to affect an RR Score. Patterns consistent with coordinated activity are identified and discounted. You can read how Trust Intelligence works, or compare identity, credit and reputation checks.
Reviews will remain useful for choosing a restaurant. For decisions about who rents your home, looks after your children or works in your house, you need something with more structure than a star.
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