Google has agreed to implement significant changes to its processes in an effort to combat fake reviews of UK businesses, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Thursday. The move comes as part of a commitment to improve transparency and ensure consumers can trust online reviews.
Under the new measures, Google will attach warnings to businesses found to have artificially inflated their star ratings. The worst offenders will have their review function disabled, preventing them from receiving any new reviews. Additionally, individuals who repeatedly post fake or misleading reviews will face bans from posting, regardless of their location.
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, emphasized the importance of these changes in ensuring consumer trust. “The changes we’ve secured from Google ensure robust processes are in place, so people can have confidence in reviews and make the best possible choices,” she said in a statement.
The new rules specifically apply to business reviews on Google Search and Google Maps, but will not affect product reviews on the platform. Google’s spokesperson told the BBC, “Our longstanding investments to combat fraudulent content help us block millions of fake reviews yearly – often before they ever get published.” The company added that its collaboration with regulators like the CMA is part of ongoing efforts to combat fake content.
The CMA estimates that £23 billion of UK consumer spending each year is “potentially influenced” by online reviews, highlighting the significant impact that both real and fake reviews have on business success. The issue of fake reviews has grown more complex with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which can generate highly convincing false reviews.
Google has already begun implementing the new restrictions, and the CMA has stated that the company will report its progress over the next three years to ensure the changes are effective. After this period, Google may adjust its approach to handling fake reviews based on technological developments.
“This is a matter of fairness – for both business and consumers – and we encourage the entire sector to take note,” Cardell added.
The investigation into fake reviews has been ongoing since June 2021, when the CMA began looking into both Google and Amazon for failing to adequately address the issue. The CMA’s investigation into Amazon remains ongoing.
With these new steps, Google aims to restore consumer confidence in online reviews and demonstrate its commitment to tackling the growing problem of fraudulent content.
