Technology

I actually don't agree, and the reason is - non tech people. You and me can install plugins but ordinary people don't do that. So the default experience must be good, offering improvements to the experience over Google Chrome.

Otherwise all privacy features could also be plugins. Imagine if that was true. Firefox would have no identity and you would have to install plugins and make it your own.

So some features should be built in. Maybe the ability to get pop-ups about false reviews will actually make users go "wow that is so useful".

Agreed. This is well outside the scope of native browser functions. Firefox already has a rich extensions ecosystem. They can just include the extension with the browser by default for all I care, but as a native feature, this makes no sense.

That's appalling customer service.

Amazon stopped me, giving a generic message about fake reviews on this product

Can you elaborate? I've never experienced this and would like to understand how they do it.

My favourite is someone who rates it 1 star because they got it late.

You're reviewing the item you wet wipe, not Katie who works for Evri/Hermes...

There is also the question section.

"How big is the item itself"

Some idiot: I don't know. Bought it as a gift

Of course they are a problem? The real issue is the star ratings in aggregate of course, but the value in individual reviews is detecting patterns - "didn't like the lock thing" "latch was loose" "maybe it's just me, but the latch didn't feel solid" "the lock broke off within a week". You start to see trouble spots if you know how to skim actual reviews.

So to get that value, you don't restrict input, you leave it open, the "pretty box" people aren't ideal, but it's fine because it allows for the breadcrumbs that tell the larger truth. It's ridiculous to expect normal, busy people to do "consumer reports" style reviews for every small kitchen sponge and packet of stickers sold online?

With Amazon there's also the problem of them combining reviews of entirely different products into a single product's page. I have no idea why they do this. There are also sellers who switch the product on the page while keeping the positive reviews for an earlier product.

And unfortunately Firefox is sitting at 2 to 3% so even if Amazon were dependant on fake reviews, they have little to fear due to the low marketshare.

Amazon makes a lot of money facilitating the sales of counterfeit goods.

Agreed. Might actually give more faith in using Amazon.

Hmm their Amazon basics might suffer. I think Amazon basics true offering is cheap but not scam.

They’re just building Fakespot into the browser so the same way Fakespot does, by analyzing the user who posted the review

I don't agree with the assertion that fake reviews don't benefit them, but I may be missing something. Reviews help drive consumer behavior and more reviews lead to more sales from those who are unable or unwilling to be more discerning. (Amazon takes a cut)

For others, it the idea or presence of fake reviews might drive them to a "trusted" Amazon Basics alternative, also leading to sales with a higher margin for Amazon.

Additionally, recycling listing ASINs is a common tactic that Amazon could stop and is a source of "fake" (or at least, irrelevant in content and misleading in score) reviews. There's minimal enforcement of rules for review integrity, such as verified purchases or quid pro quo "warranties" and "free gifts" for 5 star reviews.

All the evidence I see points to Amazon preferring the status quo.

Per the article, they are integrating Fakespot into Firefox, so it won't be different. Hopefully the tool can be improved

I've already been using the fakespot extension for a few years, and honestly, it feels pretty useless. I've seen it give A and B scores for products that I know have fake reviews. And on Amazon or Walmart and similar sites, we already know that the reviews are bullshit, so what difference does it really make for it to tell me that? It's not like I have any better option in most cases.

i've found that firefox on android is one of my favorite apps, even replacing native apps in many cases.

No... 2 to 4 star reviews are more realistic. 5 star reviews are either fake or they got lucky and nothing bad happened. 1 star reviews usually are from people that were PISSED OFF while 2 to 4 star reviews are generally from people with more nuanced opinions than "this product cured my cancer" or "this product set fire to my cat and stole my significant other"