One of the first things we are taught when we’re young is to be wary of strangers, not to accept sweets or rides from them, and with the threat of terrorism looming, we are to approach the people around us with caution.

Yet the Internet is the exception to this rule. With an increase in consumer input, we are relying more and more on strangers.
Anyone can write and edit for Wikipedia. We trust peer reviews on Amazon.com and eBay, even though we don't know anything about the people who write them. Blogs provide a soap box and their popularity can only suggest that people are interested to hear opinions. Never before has the opinion held such a high value.

The average person who listens to music (i.e. the average person) doesn't need an expert opinion on whether they will like a CD. They don't need a technical opinion from someone who has broken down and analysed every harmony. What is far more telling is to find out from people with similar tastes whether they like it. Effectively, all that is really wanted is what I will call the 'layman's opinion'.

The layman's opinion is less likely to have an ulterior motive because they bypass having to answer to anyone. The layman isn't going to jeopardise a precious relationship with a record company if he severely criticises their new Robbie Williams album that they pumped tens of millions into. The layman has a greater freedom of speech.

But equally, should we really be putting so much faith in the person who writes their opinion on the Internet? More often than not, all we know about the person is an alias and maybe an email address.
The problem arises particularly when people or groups try to use said rating systems and their anonymity to their advantage. And general opinion can be swayed. There is a lot of talk about how companies create a number of accounts on eBay so that they may doctor feedback and create the illusion of credibility.

So my advice is to make an informed decision that isn't based wholly on what one person or website says. Listen to what people have to say, but realise that just because their review is published on Amazon.com, doesn't give them any more credibility that any other opinion and doesn't mean that they have the best intentions. It's really about making what's out there work for you.