Fake reviews on the net: does Germany have to crack down on it? - New law in the UK

In order to generate visibility online, retailers rely on customer reviews.

They are often fake.

The market for purchased reviews is booming.

Munich - Every day, millions of Germans order online from Amazon and Co. Whether with camping tents, shower gel or the corona mask - reviews still contribute to the purchase decision.

But have "trollie112", "Dirk" and "Stefanie" really tried out the family tent at Amazon?

Online retail saw high sales during the Corona crisis.

At the beginning of 2020, various retailers of masks or other hygiene articles fought a bitter fight to land as high as possible in the Amazon algorithm.

Purchased hymns of praise and negative comments played a not inconsiderable role.

The online reviews business: Amazon reports 200 million fake reviews

According to its own information, the US group Amazon deleted more than 200 million fake product reviews on its websites worldwide last year.

The situation is similar for hotels, travel companies or restaurants.

It is often difficult to take action against so-called "fake reviews".

There is a whole business model behind it.

“We sell reviews.

As hard as it sounds.

You leave your product for free with those who write a review.

The rating is such that you will be satisfied with it, "praised Norbert Weber, the founder of several rating and trade agencies, according to

Spiegel

as early as 2019 at an event in Munich.

He wanted to be completely open "that a real test takes place there is not so much for us."

Fake reviews on Amazon and Co. - Does Germany have to crack down on it?

The dealers themselves depend on good reviews, if only to generate visibility. They pay companies like Walter's and get positive reviews. Competitive companies get bad comments. Consumers can follow simple tips to fall for the wrong reviews. In order to counteract business in business, retailers in Germany are to be controlled by the portals, i.e. Amazon and Co.

That only works to a limited extent.

It is true that Amazon announced that it is increasingly taking legal action against agencies that sell false or fabricated reviews.

According to the consumer advice center, however, this is usually still too intransparent: “Every portal has its own strategy for dealing with reviews.

Far too often this is not sufficiently recognizable. ”In addition, many rating agencies operate from abroad and are so often difficult to trace back.

Fake reviews on Amazon and Co. - Great Britain plans new law

In many cases, there is also no legal framework.

Incorrect ratings are not criminally relevant in Germany.

In principle, there is no fraud damage, explains the Federal Ministry of Justice at the request of

Der Spiegel

, "because in most cases the consumer receives a product at the market price."

Great Britain is going in a different direction right now.

A new law provides for higher penalties for writing fake reviews.

According to the BBC, it should even become illegal to "pay someone to write fake reviews or receive fake reviews".

This should not only target the portals but also the dealers themselves.

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