Social media platforms and messaging apps are failing to adequately address the issue of fake reviews, resulting in shoppers being deceived, according to Amazon. Approximately one in seven reviews in the UK are thought to be fake, with Facebook groups often being blamed. Last year, Amazon blocked 200 million fake reviews. Dharmesh Mehta, head of the company’s customer trust team, described the situation as an “avalanche of misinformation” that misled consumers about the products they should purchase. Mehta explained that a “cottage industry of fraudsters” has emerged, with fake review brokers offering their services to sellers and consumers. These brokers would promise sellers fake reviews, while offering consumers incentives such as free products or gift cards in exchange for positive reviews. Despite interventions by regulators such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), groups offering fake reviews continue to thrive on Facebook. Amazon has taken legal action against fake review brokers, suing over 10,000 Facebook group administrators and more than 90 brokers. The company has also employed artificial intelligence and increased its efforts to combat the issue. However, Amazon believes other marketplaces and tech firms need to improve their efforts as well. In 2022, Amazon identified over 23,000 groups and more than 46 million members involved in facilitating fake reviews on social media platforms and messaging apps. Mehta criticized some platforms for their lack of responsiveness, even in clear cases. The digital markets, competition, and consumers bill, which is currently being considered by the UK parliament, aims to strengthen the legal powers of the CMA in dealing with this issue.
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