Amazon has agreed to crackdown on fake reviews on its marketplace following new powers granted to UK regulators under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA)
The US tech giant has told the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK that it will be enhancing its existing systems for tackling fake reviews, which have been explicitly banned under the DMCCA.
The agreement follows a CMA investigation into Amazon over concerns that it was breaching consumer law by failing to adequately protect customers from falsified reviews.
Amazon has agreed to upgrade its detection system and will also take on CMA concerns over ‘catalogue abuse’ wherein sellers take the reviews of well-performing products and use them for other listings to manipulate star ratings.
As per the agreement, Amazon will sanction businesses that boost their star ratings through fake reviews and catalogue abuse as well as individuals leaving fake reviews.
“So many people use Amazon, from buying a new bike lock to finding the best coffee machine – and what’s clear is that star ratings and reviews have a huge impact on their choices. That’s why these new commitments matter and help set the standard,” said Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA.
“They mean people can make decisions with greater confidence – knowing that those who seek to pull the wool over their eyes will be swiftly dealt with.”
Cardell said that following the review, the CMA will begin scrutinising whether review platforms and the businesses listing products on them are complying with the newly strengthened laws around fake reviews.
Read more: A balancing act
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