Online Book Reviews Are Even Less Reliable Than You Thought

e-Books

e-Books

Skeptical of a little e-book you’ve never heard of that has 28 five-star reviews on Amazon? You should be. Turns out in many cases, the authors are paying for reviews. The New York Times takes a look at the business of for-hire review writing, through the eyes of Todd Rutherford, a guy who started the now-defunct GettingBookReviews.com, where he churned out reviews at $99 a pop: “Mr. Rutherford’s insight was that reviews had lost their traditional function. They were no longer there to evaluate the book or even to describe it but simply to vouch for its credibility, the way doctors put their diplomas on examination room walls.” Read the full story at Gizmodo.

Author:

Shelly Palmer

Shelly Palmer is Fox 5 New York's On-air Tech Expert (WNYW-TV) and the host of Fox Television's monthly show Shelly Palmer Digital Living. He also hosts United Stations Radio Network's, Shelly Palmer Digital Living Daily, a daily syndicated radio report that features insightful commentary and a unique insiders take on the biggest stories in technology, media, and entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group, LLC an industry-leading advisory and business development firm and a member of the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards).