State Laws & Bad Online Reviews

What is happening? Center for Data Innovation report calls for state legislation to pass laws with “tougher enforcement of penalties on companies that solicit or write fake reviews.” The report also recommends laws that “prevent people from getting hit with lawsuits over negative reviews they write.”

Why is this important? Online reviews affected $3.8 trillion of global e-commerce revenue in 2020

How will this be important? “In 2013, the New York state attorney general created a fake yogurt shop to solicit offers from companies that leave fake reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp. In all, 19 companies were identified, and the perpetrators agreed to stop writing reviews and pay $350,000 in fines. ” Wow. Just wow.

Governing | States Should Crack Down on Bogus Online Reviews, Advocates Say