Fake reviews are gaining more attention as they increasingly mislead consumers with fabricated information, prompting stricter regulations worldwide. In June 2021, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched formal probes into Google and Amazon concerning their internal systems and processes for identifying and tackling fake reviews.
At the time, the CMA voiced concern over whether both platforms were doing enough to:
Now, four years on, Google has provided binding undertakings to the CMA regarding reviews on its site. And with increased consumer protection provided under the UK’s Digital Markets Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act expected to be implemented in the coming months, the timing of Google’s announcement is unlikely to be coincidental.
The DMCC Act will grant enhanced enforcement powers to the CMA, specifically in relation to clamping down on fake reviews, including those facilitating the publication of fake reviews - i.e. traders and intermediaries such as online marketplaces, search engines and social media platforms. Under the Act, the following practices are considered to be “unfair commercial practices” and are therefore prohibited:
To address what this means in practice for publishers, the CMA has drafted guidance outlining steps required as follows:
Failure to comply could result in financial penalties of up to 10% of a business’s global turnover, and directions to comply with enhanced consumer protection, including remedies for affected consumers.
As part of their undertakings, Google has agreed to:
It’s perhaps unsurprising that Google’s commitments closely mirror the provisions laid out under the DMCC Act and the CMA’s draft guidance to ensure they are compliant. Their example, consequently, is a very helpful working example of the proactive and practical measures affected intermediaries can put in place to stay on the right side of regulation.
A comprehensive risk assessment is an excellent informative starting point to assess the scale of a business’s fake reviews challenge. Regular risk assessments are instrumental in assessing the ongoing effectiveness of prevention measures, detection solutions and removal processes, aiding with the provision of reports to the CMA as required and helping businesses remain compliant.
Themis provides businesses with a data-driven analysis of fraudulent review activity on their platforms, helping them identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and protect their reputation. By leveraging AI-powered detection and expert insights, Themis enables companies to take proactive steps to protect their review integrity and take informed action against deceptive practices before they lead to regulatory penalties or loss of consumer trust.
Find out how we can help protect your business against fraud. We’d love to hear from you.
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