In 2023, Google introduced a new system to catch and remove fake reviews faster from Google Search and Google Maps. Thanks to this new technology, Google removed 45% more fake reviews compared to the year before. Every day, Google gets about 20 million contributions like reviews and photos for its Maps and Search services.
Last year, Google started using a new way to find and get rid of fake reviews. This method uses machine learning, a type of computer program that gets better at finding patterns the more it's used. It looks for signs that reviews might not be genuine, such as the same review posted for many businesses or a sudden increase in very good or very bad reviews for a business.
This system can spot single fake reviews and larger scams. For example, it found a scam where people were offered money to write fake reviews or click on ads. Google's technology noticed a lot of suspicious reviews quickly. Then, Google's team looked more closely at these reviews, especially after business owners reported a sudden increase in fake positive reviews. This helped Google improve their system and remove 5 million fake reviews linked to this scam in just a few weeks.
Google also shared some numbers to show how they're doing in fighting fake reviews and other policy-breaking content. In 2023, they stopped or removed over 170 million reviews that broke their rules, which is 45% more than in 2022. They also removed or blocked more than 12 million fake business profiles and 14 million videos that broke their policies. Plus, they stopped over 2 million attempts to take over business profiles that didn't belong to the person trying to claim them.
Google didn't share how many fake photos they removed this year, even though they did last year. They said they caught more this year but chose to focus on the increase in fake videos instead. They also changed how they track fake business profiles, focusing on stopping people from claiming profiles that aren't theirs.
Why this matters: Fake reviews and spam are big problems for people using search engines and for businesses. No one likes dealing with spam or seeing fake reviews for their business. Google is working hard to stop these problems, but it's a constant battle. As Google finds new ways to fight spam, the people making spam look for new ways to get around Google's defenses.
Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen
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Last year, Google started using a new way to find and get rid of fake reviews. This method uses machine learning, a type of computer program that gets better at finding patterns the more it's used. It looks for signs that reviews might not be genuine, such as the same review posted for many businesses or a sudden increase in very good or very bad reviews for a business.
This system can spot single fake reviews and larger scams. For example, it found a scam where people were offered money to write fake reviews or click on ads. Google's technology noticed a lot of suspicious reviews quickly. Then, Google's team looked more closely at these reviews, especially after business owners reported a sudden increase in fake positive reviews. This helped Google improve their system and remove 5 million fake reviews linked to this scam in just a few weeks.
Google also shared some numbers to show how they're doing in fighting fake reviews and other policy-breaking content. In 2023, they stopped or removed over 170 million reviews that broke their rules, which is 45% more than in 2022. They also removed or blocked more than 12 million fake business profiles and 14 million videos that broke their policies. Plus, they stopped over 2 million attempts to take over business profiles that didn't belong to the person trying to claim them.
Google didn't share how many fake photos they removed this year, even though they did last year. They said they caught more this year but chose to focus on the increase in fake videos instead. They also changed how they track fake business profiles, focusing on stopping people from claiming profiles that aren't theirs.
Why this matters: Fake reviews and spam are big problems for people using search engines and for businesses. No one likes dealing with spam or seeing fake reviews for their business. Google is working hard to stop these problems, but it's a constant battle. As Google finds new ways to fight spam, the people making spam look for new ways to get around Google's defenses.
Read next: Tech Giants to Fight AI Misuse in Elections
