The Struggle Against Deceptive Online Reviews: Amazon, Glassdoor, and Others Unite

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In an effort to combat the pervasive issue of fraudulent online reviews, several prominent platforms in the realms of e-commerce, employment, and travel have come together. Amazon, renowned for its expansive online marketplace, joins forces with Glassdoor, a prominent reviews platform for workplaces, and Trustpilot, a trusted name in consumer reviews. Additionally, travel industry giants Expedia Group, Booking.com, and Tripadvisor have joined this initiative. Together, they have announced the formation of the “Coalition for Trusted Reviews,” a collaborative endeavor aimed at safeguarding the integrity of “trustworthy consumer reviews” on a global scale.

The primary objective of this coalition is to establish best practices for hosting online reviews and to share methodologies for identifying counterfeit ones. This involves the development of clear standards to distinguish fake reviews from genuine ones, as well as the dissemination of insights into the tactics employed by unscrupulous actors.

Deceptive reviews have long plagued online marketplaces, persisting despite rigorous efforts to combat them. A significant contributor to this issue is the involvement of intermediaries who, in exchange for financial compensation, complimentary items, or other incentives, solicit fraudulent customer reviews through various channels, including social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps. These intermediaries can artificially inflate the ratings of businesses or sellers through positive reviews, while simultaneously tarnishing the reputations of competitors with negative feedback.

Notably, Amazon recently took legal action against two review brokers in China who were found guilty of using messaging apps to promote and sell counterfeit reviews to Amazon sellers. The company has pursued multiple lawsuits in the past year against individuals engaged in similar activities. Moreover, Amazon filed a lawsuit against the administrators of over 10,000 Facebook groups accused of coordinating fraudulent reviews in exchange for monetary rewards or complimentary products.

In addition to these developments, it came to light that Facebook groups engaged in the exchange of reviews for platforms such as Google and Trustpilot were discovered earlier this year by the British consumer watchdog group “Which?”

Federal regulators are also intensifying efforts to combat deceptive reviews that mislead consumers. In June, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed new regulations, which, among other provisions, seek to prohibit businesses from either selling or procuring fraudulent reviews, suppressing honest feedback, or engaging in the sale of counterfeit social media engagement. Businesses would also be barred from maintaining or controlling websites that claim to provide impartial evaluations of their products. Furthermore, the practice known as “review hijacking,” wherein reviews for one product are presented as though they were intended for different items, would also be prohibited under the proposed regulations. Violators could face penalties if these measures are adopted.

Becky Foley, Vice President for Trust & Safety at Tripadvisor, emphasized the immediate focus of the coalition on identifying and addressing the actors behind fake reviews. She highlighted that these individuals often operate outside of jurisdictions with legal mechanisms to curtail fraudulent activities, making robust cooperation among industry leaders all the more crucial.

The genesis of this coalition can be traced back to the “Fake Reviews” conference organized by Tripadvisor in San Francisco last year. The companies involved have confirmed plans to convene once again in early December, with Amazon hosting a second conference in Brussels. These gatherings are pivotal in advancing their collective mission to combat deceptive online reviews and ensure the transparency and reliability of consumer feedback.

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More about Fake Reviews

• Amazon, Glassdoor, and Others Form Coalition to Fight Fake Reviews
• Deceptive Online Reviews: The Battle Against Fraud
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Proposes Regulations to Combat Fake Reviews
• Amazon’s Legal Actions Against Fake Review Brokers
• British Consumer Watchdog “Which?” Uncovers Facebook Groups Trading Reviews
• Tripadvisor’s Role in Organizing the “Fake Reviews” Conference