Has consumer reviewing gone too far?

[hyattj...@gmail.com]

I think review services like Ripoff Report are valuable for most consumers, but when you get right down to it they can be harmful, even fatal, for businesses too. What's stopping some random agitated customer from writing five or six misleading reviews, thus trashing some hard-working business for nothing? I know that businesses can submit "rebuttals," but we all know that the public tends to take the side of the consumer over the business involved.

I think that perhaps reviewers on the site should put more up for stake, such as having to confirm their identity, that way we know that Ripoff Reports reviews are honest and accountable.