Government issues new rule banning deceptive online reviews [Video]

The Federal Trade Commission published new rules to ban companies from using bogus consumer reviews to promote products. Commissioners on the FTC approved the new rules 5-0, and they will take effect in October.

The FTC said with the growth of artificial intelligence, it is becoming easier for companies to write fake reviews.

The FTC had first proposed new rules in 2023 concerning fake reviews, and finalized the rules over a year later.

The new rules will prohibit companies from writing or selling consumer reviews by someone who does not exist or did not have experience with the product or service. Businesses will also be banned from using or repurposing a consumer review written for one product so that it appears to have been written for a substantially different product.

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Companies will be banned from providing incentives for writing a positive review.

Businesses will be prohibited from …