A Year Later: FTC Rule Useless, Google Delinquent against Fake Reviews

Summary

In this video, Kay Dean from Fake Review Watch exposes the persistence of fake reviews on Google, one year after the FTC introduced a rule to combat them. Despite Google's claims of actively fighting fraud, Dean demonstrates through detailed spreadsheets and examples that vast networks of fake reviews continue to manipulate ratings for businesses across the U.S. He highlights the failure of both Google and government authorities to address the problem effectively, showing how consumers and honest small businesses remain vulnerable. The video emphasizes the ongoing harm caused by review fraud and calls for more serious accountability from tech platforms and regulators.

Takeaways

• 📢 The FTC introduced a rule in 2023 to combat fake reviews, but it does not hold platforms like Google accountable.
• 🧐 Google claimed during the FTC rulemaking that it actively combats fake reviews and that the focus should be on individual bad actors.
• 💻 Kay Dean documented a network of 156 Google profiles posting fake five-star reviews across multiple businesses nationwide.
• 🚨 Spot checks a year later show many previously identified fake reviews are still active, indicating Google’s efforts are insufficient.
• 🌍 The network of fake reviewers has expanded, with 87 additional suspicious profiles posting reviews for many of the same businesses.
• 🔍 Overlapping review patterns across distant locations (e.g., DC, Phoenix, California) suggest systematic fraud rather than genuine customer activity.
• 🏢 Multiple businesses, including doctors, lawyers, pool repair services, and dental clinics, are being targeted by these fraudulent reviews.
• ⚠️ The fraudulent activity distorts consumer perception and unfairly inflates business ratings, harming honest small businesses.
• 📝 Attempts to raise awareness with the Small Business Administration and congressional representatives have received minimal response.
• 😡 The video emphasizes frustration with Google’s negligence and the government’s lack of enforcement, calling for greater accountability.

Q & A

Who is the presenter in the video and what is the main focus of the video?

The presenter is Kay Dean from Fake Review Watch, and the main focus of the video is to analyze the persistence and growth of fake reviews on Google despite new FTC rules aimed at curbing review fraud.

What prediction did Kay Dean make regarding the FTC's new rule on fake reviews?

Kay Dean predicted that the FTC's new rule would have little effect because it failed to hold platforms like Google accountable for the fake reviews they allow on their platforms.

How did Google respond to the FTC during the rulemaking process in January 2023?

Google expressed concern that the FTC might target review platforms themselves, defended its efforts against fake reviews, and argued that the FTC should focus on the bad actors posting fake reviews rather than the platforms trying to combat them.

What action did the FTC take regarding third-party review platforms like Google?

In July 2023, the FTC clarified that the proposed rulemaking did not apply to third-party review platforms that disseminate consumer reviews, effectively excluding companies like Google from direct enforcement under the rule.

What did Kay Dean's 2024 investigation reveal about Google’s handling of fake reviews?

Kay Dean's investigation showed that a large network of Google profiles continued posting fake five-star reviews for businesses nationwide, with many of the fraudulent reviews remaining active a year later, demonstrating Google's ineffective cleanup efforts.

Can you give examples of businesses affected by the fake review network?

Examples include Doc Hypnosis in Phoenix, Kings Point Foot and Ankle Specialists in Los Angeles, Dr. Michael Ellis in North Hollywood, and Badlands Asphalt in South Dakota, among many others across the U.S.

What patterns indicated that these reviews were likely fake?

The reviews showed overlapping patterns, such as multiple Google profiles posting five-star reviews for the same businesses across different states within a short time, which is highly unrealistic and suspicious.

How has the network of fake reviewers changed since last year?

The network has expanded, with 87 additional profiles identified posting reviews for many of the same businesses and additional new businesses, demonstrating that the problem is growing rather than being addressed.

Why is fake review fraud particularly harmful to consumers and small businesses?

Consumers take online reviews seriously and rely on them for decision-making, while fake reviews distort the market, give unfair advantages to dishonest businesses, and harm honest small businesses trying to compete fairly.

What efforts has Kay Dean made to address this issue beyond reporting it in videos?

Kay Dean has written emails and official letters to the Small Business Administration, contacted congressional committees, and met with his congressman to discuss the impact of fake reviews on consumers and small businesses, though he has received limited response.

What is the overall conclusion of the video regarding Google and the FTC’s efforts?

The video concludes that Google is not effectively dismantling fake review networks and that the FTC’s rule has had little impact, leaving consumers and honest small businesses vulnerable to ongoing review fraud.