Travel, shopping platforms teaming up to fight fake reviews

Well-known travel and shopping platforms such as Amazon and Tripadvisor are joining forces to fight fake reviews.

Glassdoor, Trustpilot, Expedia Group and Booking.com are also among the companies that said they’re starting a coalition Tuesday with the goal of protecting access to “trustworthy consumer reviews.” The Coalition for Trusted Reviews will share methods on detecting fake reviews, among other work.

A surge in false reviews has largely been caused by brokers requesting fake reviews through social media and encrypted messaging apps in exchange for money, free items or other benefits. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a rule in June aiming to bar businesses from selling or receiving fake reviews, alongside other measures.

Becky Foley, Tripadvisor vice president for Trust and Safety, said the coalition will have “an immediate area of focus” in fighting back against those who are behind operating fake reviews.

“These actors often operate outside of jurisdictions with a legal framework to shut down fraudulent activity, making robust cooperation even more important,” Foley said in a news release, according to The Associated Press.

The FTC issued a warning to businesses about fake reviews and misleading endorsements last week. The agency said it would would punish companies who it found were misrepresenting their products. 

“By sending a Notice of Penalty Offenses to more than 700 companies, the agency is placing them on notice they could incur significant civil penalties … if they use endorsements in ways that can run counter to prior FTC administrative cases,” the FTC said in the release.

The Associated Press contributed.