Google Commits to Combat Fake Reviews in the UK

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has reached an agreement with Google to enhance efforts against fake reviews. The collaboration aims to penalize businesses that engage in manipulating star ratings via false or misleading reviews.

Under the agreement, Google will implement "warning" alerts on the profiles of UK businesses that utilize fake reviews to boost their star ratings. These alerts will notify consumers of the potential unreliability of the reviews.

"This is an important step in our work to tackle the problem of fake reviews," said CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli. "It will make it easier for consumers to identify businesses that are trying to mislead them."

Google has acknowledged the significance of addressing the proliferation of fake reviews. "We know that people rely on the reviews they read on Google to make informed decisions," said a Google spokesperson. "We're committed to doing our part to ensure that those reviews are genuine and not misleading."

The CMA will continue to monitor Google's compliance with the agreement and take further action if necessary to safeguard consumers from deceptive review practices.