What I have a problem with is people using hyperbole to induce an irrational fear of a particular group
What, exactly, is so "irrational" about any "fears" of Prosper's behavior? Given Prosper's track record (of which we here are far more knowledgeable than relative newbies like you), our criticisms of Prosper are well-founded. Perhaps you would like to comment on why Prosper chose to delete its original official forums (with more than 400,000 posts of Prosper history) one day without notice? Or perhaps you would like to comment on why Prosper chose to make a baseless legal attempt to coerce 112233 into removing prosperreport.com, his publicly accessible archive of most of Prosper's original forum? Fortunately, 112233 was able to obtain first class legal assistance, which promptly made Prosper back down. Had he not been able to do so, however, he might have felt compelled to acquiesce in Prosper's outrageous and legally unsupportable demand, being a mere David going up against Goliath (which, presumably, was Prosper's intention).