ReviChain: A Blockchain-Based Application to Enhance Online Review Credibility

Online reviews significantly influence consumers' purchasing decisions; however, the increase in fake reviews and manipulated ratings has raised concerns about their credibility. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of a decentralized application called ReviChain that integrates blockchain technology and a third-party payment system. ReviChain ensures that only users who have used a service in question (e.g., purchasing an item, dining at a restaurant) have the privilege to post reviews, hence preventing posting of fake reviews. Furthermore, by storing reviews on the blockchain, we achieved tamper resistance and transparency. A preliminary user study with 51 users suggests that ReviChain is an effective means to enhance the credibility of online reviews.