Review Racket is a UK-based satirical consumer explainer. This page sets out, in plain English, what that means.
We are an independent editorial publication that comments on, reviews, and pokes mild fun at the business of online reviews. Our subject matter is review platforms, trust badges, verified ticks, ratings and the wider reputation infrastructure of the modern internet.
We are not a regulator, an accreditation body, an ombudsman, a law firm, a financial adviser or an investigative news outlet. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, paid by or otherwise commercially connected to any of the platforms we review. We do not publish allegations of fact about specific companies or individuals.
Each platform page on Review Racket contains a section called “The funny bit” and a section called “The serious bit”. The funny bit is editorial commentary and satire. It is exaggeration, wordplay, observational humour and character writing about systems and incentives — not statements of fact about any specific company or person. The serious bit is sober consumer guidance based on each platform's published policies and publicly available information.
Where we make a factual claim — about how a platform's pricing works, what its terms say, or what a regulator has published — we link to the source. Where we offer opinion — about whether a verification model is rigorous, or whether a badge does enough work — we say so.
If you read something on Review Racket and aren't sure whether it is satire or sober reporting, the rule of thumb is simple: anything in a “funny bit” section is satire; anything in a “serious bit”, “what the platform does”, “how businesses use it”, or “what you should understand” section is intended as factual or evaluative reporting. If we ever fall short of that distinction, please write to us under the corrections policy.
All platform names, logos, brand colours and trademarks referred to on Review Racket are the property of their respective owners. They are used for the purposes of identification, commentary, review and education only. Their use does not imply endorsement of, or by, the trademark owner.
Because the review economy is one of the most consequential pieces of consumer infrastructure on the modern internet, and the small print is genuinely interesting. Because plain-English explanations of how badges and verification work make readers better-equipped consumers. And because, occasionally, it is a perfectly defensible thing to be amused by a yellow star.