Is the Guinness Book of World Records legitimate?

Guinness World Records, known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records, is a reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. The brainchild of Sir Hugh Beaver, the book was co-founded by twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter in Fleet Street, London, in August 1955.

The Guinness Book of World Records is a real organization that was started in 1955. The organization certifies world records by sending an official certifier to witness and record world records. Recently, the organization has come under fire for its practices of receiving money from dictatorships in exchange for certifying "seemingly random" world records, such as "The Largest Gathering of Jump Ropers Wearing Green" or "The Longest Pizza Baked in Under 10 Hours".