The rise of internet reviews, that apparently more than 80% of us look at before buying, has seen a corresponding rise in the number of “Online Reputation Management” (ORM) firms that offer to get rid of those tedious negative reviews from disgruntled customers.

Quite how this is done is not stated, although one tried and tested way is to just swamp them with positive reviews, like staff working for disgraced foreign aid firm Adam Smith International were instructed to do by their director of strategy Peter Young.

Some of the ORM firms offer to supply testimonials form satisfied clients, which of course will not be falsified, oh no…