eBay and Facebook agreed to better combat fake reviews, according to UK regulator Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), which said the companies have already taken some action.
In a post on Twitter on Wednesday, the agency wrote, “Facebook and eBay have signed up to agreements to better identify and combat the sale of fake reviews on their sites, following our action.”
The CMA said the companies agreed to better identify, investigate and respond to fake and misleading reviews after it told them to address this issue.
eBay permanently banned 140 users in response to the CMA conveying its concerns about the trade of fake and misleading reviews in the summer, it said, while Facebook removed 188 groups and disabled 24 user accounts.
In addition, eBay improved its existing filters to better identify and block listings for the sale or trade of online reviews, and Facebook agreed to introduce more robust systems to detect and remove fake and misleading reviews.
In its announcement, CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli said fake reviews harm shoppers and businesses alike:
“Fake reviews are really damaging to shoppers and businesses alike. Millions of people base their shopping decisions on reviews, and if these are misleading or untrue, then shoppers could end up being misled into buying something that isn’t right for them – leaving businesses who play by the rules missing out.”
The agency also stated, “The CMA is not alleging that Facebook or eBay are intentionally allowing this content to appear on their websites and is pleased that both companies have fully co-operated.”
