Helping Businesses Get and Stay Compliant

We help organisations identify and remove suspicious reviews.

Online reviews are one of the most influential triggers driving consumer spend. They are used by more than 90% of consumers at least some of the time and 70% of consumers change their mind about purchases after reading online reviews¹.

Legislation is live in the US, the UK, the EU, and Australia

It is well-recognised that fake and manipulated reviews are increasingly prevalent on the internet and that they mislead consumers. Governments are stepping in with specific consumer protection laws to tackle the issue.

The UK passed the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act in May, followed in the US by new legislation from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in October. Similar laws already exist in the EU and Australia.

In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority has indicated it will start to enforce the DMCC Act from April 2025.

Key Legislation:

Creating, hosting and failing to remove fake reviews is prohibited.
Practices such as only displaying positive reviews are banned.
Businesses must have processes in place to authenticate, detect, and remove fake reviews.

¹ Independent research commissioned by TruthEngine in November 2024.

The Risk of Non-Compliance

Fines

Fines for transgressions are punitive. In the UK, the DMCC Act gives powers to the CMA to directly impose fines on companies with the maximum fine being 10% of global turnover.

In the US, the FTC can impose fines of $51,744 per violation.

Reputational Damage

A regulatory investigation, particularly if a fine is imposed, would likely result in media coverage and potentially a significant reputational hit to a company’s brand.

Erosion of Customer Trust

Media coverage of an investigation, even where no fine is imposed, would likely erode trust in a company’s brand, products and services.

Why Compliance Matters

Aside from simply complying with legislation, protecting consumers from misleading information and ensuring trust in your brand, products and services is important.

Using TruthEngine to bolster your trust and safety capabilities can help you combat the harmful effects of fake reviews.

How We Help

We specialise in detecting online review manipulation to help organisations identify, investigate and remove suspicious reviews.

Our technology enables companies to demonstrate that they take reasonable steps to prevent consumers from being exposed to fake reviews.