When social networks did not exist and
current influencers
were not born, one of the great motivators for a purchase was “word of mouth” recommendation.
Digitality brought new experiences and sales channels with their own rating systems.
However, in recent years the
fake recommendations industry
has grown , a business that moves millions of dollars a year and that is beginning to be punished in different countries. viva
According to the American NGO
Fake Review Watch,
there are companies that sell as a service the creation of false recommendations from
thousands of profiles generated for that purpose in different parts of the world
, orchestrating a true global fraud that deceives consumers and creates competition. unfair to thousands of honest companies.
This is the incarnation of misleading advertising in the 21st century but, as the organization
Review Fraud
points out , large technology companies, regulators and states are just becoming
aware of this failure
in business ethics that seriously damages the market and that violates people's rights.
The most common
modus operandi
is to flood our own or third-party sites, such as Google Maps or Amazon, with
positive comments and ratings that never drop below 4 or 5 stars
.
The development of massive language models such as Chat GPT also makes it easier to create
convincing texts
.
In 2022 alone, Google deleted 115 million fake comments in its apps application.
And Amazon, more than 200 million among its products.
The lying recommendations affect products for personal use or gastronomic spaces and also study centers, law firms and even doctors and health professionals.
“A $10 kitchen knife or bad headphones won't ruin a home.
But
choosing the wrong doctor, lawyer or contractor can ruin your life
,” Curtis Boyd, founder of the NGO Transparency Company, told The New York Times.
Things, however, seem to be changing.
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission presented new regulations with
strong penalties
for companies that buy or sell fake reviews.
And the same companies are evaluating creating their own action coalition.
Of course,
reviews
from buyers and users are not
the only thing that potential clients look at
, but the word of influencers is just as strong.
There is no shortage of dishonest behavior here either, but those who formed a strong community based on trust shine.
The most complete example is Rocío Strat, the influencer behind
@lachicadelbrunch
, an account with more than
three million followers
that can literally transform a gastronomic venture overnight if she mentions it.
“We have to go before
The Brunch Girl
recommends it and it fills up with people” is
a joke
that was heard this summer when discovering a new café or a hidden eatery.
Perhaps the remedy to
fake reviews
is to return to the old and so effective “word of mouth”.
See also
See also
Post-truth: Can you no longer believe in anything?
See also
See also
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