Help spread the good word!

[Artashes]

A few months ago we had a disgruntled user spam our community, get a ban as a result and then proceed to badmouthing the forum on a couple of review websites, like TrustPilot.

While I could care less about what someone thinks of me or the community when they get kicked for violating the policies that have been governing our community and keeping it in great shape for 20+ years, I also don't want to give those people the slightest advantage to influence public perception of this place. So I decided to use all the same available tools to set the record straight. I registered on TrustPilot today, flagged the review (which I hope will be taken seriously as it's also the only review of HostingDiscussion on their platform) and decided to invite you all to leave one as well.

If you do have a few minutes, an honest review of HostingDiscussion would help protect the community's real image against anyone who decides to retaliate against it:

HostingDiscussion is rated "Great" with 4.1 / 5 on Trustpilot

Do you agree with HostingDiscussion's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 7 customers have already said.

ca.trustpilot.com

 

[romes]

Done Art, forget that guy. We'll spam ya with good stuff and show him he didn't win.

 

[carlosdorelli]

Review sent, let's put more stars on this!

 

[Artashes]

We are out of the yellow rating zone! Thanks, guys!

 

[bigredseo]

I'll give it a few days and post a review - I don't want too many reviews too fast and potentially getting flagged. But good for you for taking action on this!

 

[SenseiSteve]

Just joined TrustPilot this morning, got verified and left a review.

 

[Artashes]

TrustPilot decided to keep the review of a spammer as they "concluded that the words or phrases you’ve identified don’t contravene our guidelines. Therefore, we’ve reinstated the review and won’t be taking further action."

This signifies how nonsense review platforms are in reality. Not only they have absolutely zero way to check whether any review (good or bad) is true or not, it feels as if for the most part they use their gut feeling to draw conclusions in resolving complaints.

While it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do a little research and look into the user's activity in other forums to "conclude" that the guy is a spammer and has been one many many times, for now I have to live with this bs.

 

[SharedGrid]

TrustPilot decided to keep the review of a spammer as they "concluded that the words or phrases you’ve identified don’t contravene our guidelines. Therefore, we’ve reinstated the review and won’t be taking further action."

This signifies how nonsense review platforms are in reality. Not only they have absolutely zero way to check whether any review (good or bad) is true or not, it feels as if for the most part they use their gut feeling to draw conclusions in resolving complaints.

While it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do a little research and look into the user's activity in other forums to "conclude" that the guy is a spammer and has been one many many times, for now I have to live with this bs.

There was a thread on another forum recently, I can't remember where (it may have been WHT). Basically, it seems as though you cannot get fake / spam reviews removed from TrustPilot unless you're paying a membership which works out quite costly.

It's not the first time I've heard this, either. It's a shame because it's probably the most used review site, and end users aren't generally aware this type of stuff happens.

 

[Artashes]

I tried to contest it one more time. For the sake of transparency, here is my follow up message to them:

I disagree with your assessment. HostingDiscussion.com is one of the most established and respected communities for web hosting professionals and enthusiasts that has been competently operated for 20+ years. We connect thousands of industry members in a B2B environment to solve complex tech and business problems, as well as link participants with consumers looking for hosting solutions.

It doesn't take much to do a little research and look into the user's activity in other forums to conclude that this user is a spammer and has been one many many times.

Beyond that, the user has agreed the following terms when he signed up for the account:

"Spam, plagiarism and low grade content [...] will be deleted and accounts may be terminated without warning."
https://hostingdiscussion.com/help/terms/

He/she then proceeds to spam the forum with advertising not only publicly, but reaching members directly through private messaging.

The user actually acknowledges breaking the rules of the community in his own review: "because i have supposedly broken some rule in my 2 posts"

Please tell me how it is NOT defamation and how it is NOT damaging to our professional community for him to leave a 1-star review claiming our actions are to blame, all because he is upset about getting his account terminated for spamming.

I pointed at our terms and the fact that the reviewer actually acknowledges breaking them in the review post.

But it's like I said before (and @SharedGrid confirms above), the value of review platforms that aren't able to verify anything is nonsense. Unless you pay them and it becomes even more nonsense. From the latest TrustPilot response: "we’re not in a position to decide what is factually correct or incorrect, so we have no other option than to take a neutral stance in factual disputes."

I do agree that they need to educate end users better about the subjectivity of reviews.

 

[carlosdorelli]

TrustPilot decided to keep the review of a spammer as they "concluded that the words or phrases you’ve identified don’t contravene our guidelines. Therefore, we’ve reinstated the review and won’t be taking further action."

This signifies how nonsense review platforms are in reality. Not only they have absolutely zero way to check whether any review (good or bad) is true or not, it feels as if for the most part they use their gut feeling to draw conclusions in resolving complaints.

While it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do a little research and look into the user's activity in other forums to "conclude" that the guy is a spammer and has been one many many times, for now I have to live with this bs.

TrustPilot sucks.

In my old company I started using Google Business review system, but literally anyone can go there and give a one star review to **** you so I migrated to TrustPilot. The option of a review can be analyzed it's really good, but their support team is horrible.

The same thing was hapenning on Google system went to TrustPilot and their staff it's lazy, I don't recommend to anyone use it. It's like PayPal, works good until you need contact the support...

Anyway I'm happy that the forum rating there is good now

 

[whmcsguru]

Done and done... Sorry to see the garbage there man