The competition regulators have asked Facebook and eBay to shutdown users that are buying fake reviews and misleading consumers.
From November 2018 to June 2019, more than 100 eBay listings that bid fake reviews were identified by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA).
It also found 26 Facebook groups from where people could be hired to write paid reviews on various shipping and review sites.
According to CMA, 75% of the UK e-commerce customers check online reviews before buying anything. This means that round billions of pounds are spent by consumers by trusting reviews.
This not only misguides people about a certain product but also illegal as per consumer law.
CMA clarified that they are not blaming Facebook or eBay directly, but they should look into the content of their sites and regulate it.
CMA said that if the issue continued, they will look for other ways to control it, like imposing fines.
Chief executive of CMA, Andrea Coscelli said that because of fake reviews, people buy products that do not match their requirements. Facebook and eBay should prevent the buying of products on the bases of fake online reviews.
Caroline Normand, director of advocacy at Which? believes that these online platforms should take fake review issues seriously and built efficient ways to control it rather than just removing the fake reviews by analyzing them internally.
He was of the view that in case these online platforms fail to address these problems, then CMA itself should come ahead and take the appropriate required action.
According to the official statement of Facebook and eBay, fake comments are not allowed in their sites. Yet, eBay announced that it will take services of CMA to look into the new findings.
While Facebook said that they have already removed 24 groups out of 26 that were identified by CMA to the company.
Illustration: Michele Marconi / Guardian
Read next: Facebook is extending its ‘keywords alert’ feature to more Groups and Admins
From November 2018 to June 2019, more than 100 eBay listings that bid fake reviews were identified by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA).
It also found 26 Facebook groups from where people could be hired to write paid reviews on various shipping and review sites.
According to CMA, 75% of the UK e-commerce customers check online reviews before buying anything. This means that round billions of pounds are spent by consumers by trusting reviews.
This not only misguides people about a certain product but also illegal as per consumer law.
CMA clarified that they are not blaming Facebook or eBay directly, but they should look into the content of their sites and regulate it.
CMA said that if the issue continued, they will look for other ways to control it, like imposing fines.
Chief executive of CMA, Andrea Coscelli said that because of fake reviews, people buy products that do not match their requirements. Facebook and eBay should prevent the buying of products on the bases of fake online reviews.
Caroline Normand, director of advocacy at Which? believes that these online platforms should take fake review issues seriously and built efficient ways to control it rather than just removing the fake reviews by analyzing them internally.
He was of the view that in case these online platforms fail to address these problems, then CMA itself should come ahead and take the appropriate required action.
According to the official statement of Facebook and eBay, fake comments are not allowed in their sites. Yet, eBay announced that it will take services of CMA to look into the new findings.
While Facebook said that they have already removed 24 groups out of 26 that were identified by CMA to the company.
Illustration: Michele Marconi / Guardian
Read next: Facebook is extending its ‘keywords alert’ feature to more Groups and Admins
