quincy
Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? All states
Posters often come to the forum with questions about negative reviews posted online about themselves and their business products or services, with the negative reviews often based on false claims. And negative reviews, especially fake negative reviews, are definitely a problem.
Some sites like RipOff Report and Yelp reviews and Sitejabber have been sued over the published fake reviews and false ratings appearing on their review sites (with mixed results), and lawsuits have been filed against those who have created the negative reviews.
What is perhaps lesser known but equally harmful is that of fake positive reviews posted for businesses. These fake positive reviews and ratings are as deceptive as the fake negative reviews.
What both positive and negative fake reviews can do is confuse consumers and influence consumers' business decisions.
Following is a link to the FTC on fake endorsements. You can also look for a "SearchEngineLand.com" article on a few SEO companies that have been fined for offering reputation management services in violation of state and federal unfair and deceptive trade practices laws (see "What are the risks for businesses getting fake reviews on Google?").
The businesses that hire these disreputable reputation management companies are not immune from suit.
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
The lesson for consumers is to take what is offered as a review or a rating with a hefty dose of skepticism.
And, for an amusing look at how ratings and reviews can be, and are, manipulated, search for the Washington Post story about "The Shed at Dulwich," a non-existent London restaurant created by freelance writer Oobah Butler that was rated London's top restaurant on Trip Advisor.
Posters often come to the forum with questions about negative reviews posted online about themselves and their business products or services, with the negative reviews often based on false claims. And negative reviews, especially fake negative reviews, are definitely a problem.
Some sites like RipOff Report and Yelp reviews and Sitejabber have been sued over the published fake reviews and false ratings appearing on their review sites (with mixed results), and lawsuits have been filed against those who have created the negative reviews.
What is perhaps lesser known but equally harmful is that of fake positive reviews posted for businesses. These fake positive reviews and ratings are as deceptive as the fake negative reviews.
What both positive and negative fake reviews can do is confuse consumers and influence consumers' business decisions.
Following is a link to the FTC on fake endorsements. You can also look for a "SearchEngineLand.com" article on a few SEO companies that have been fined for offering reputation management services in violation of state and federal unfair and deceptive trade practices laws (see "What are the risks for businesses getting fake reviews on Google?").
The businesses that hire these disreputable reputation management companies are not immune from suit.
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
The lesson for consumers is to take what is offered as a review or a rating with a hefty dose of skepticism.
And, for an amusing look at how ratings and reviews can be, and are, manipulated, search for the Washington Post story about "The Shed at Dulwich," a non-existent London restaurant created by freelance writer Oobah Butler that was rated London's top restaurant on Trip Advisor.
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