The FTC Fosters Fake Reviews, Its Own Commissioners Say (arstechnica.com) 17
Two FTC commissioners have blamed their own agency for the proliferation of fake reviews on the web. From a report: Commissioners Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Slaughter of the Federal Trade Commission say it's about to get a lot worse, and they know who to blame: their own agency. The FTC this month brought its first case against a company for enlisting its employees in a coordinated fake-review campaign to boost sales. Chopra and Slaughter say the decision reached by their fellow commissioners could usher in even more review fraud. The settlement did not require the company to admit fault, notify customers of the fraud, or turn over any ill-gotten gains. "Dishonest firms may come to conclude that posting fake reviews is a viable strategy, given the proposed outcome here," Chopra said in a statement dissenting from the FTC's decision, joined by Slaughter. "Honest firms, who are the biggest victims of this fraud, may be wondering if they are losing out by following the law. Consumers may come to lack confidence that reviews are truthful."
The case in question concerns skin-care brand Sunday Riley, which on Monday agreed to settle FTC charges that it posted faked reviews for its products on Sephora's website for nearly two years. The FTC has the power to punish companies for engaging in online review fraud through fines, forfeitures, or notices, among other things. But the Sunday Riley decision amounted to little more than finger wagging, Chopra and Slaughter say. The dissenting commissioners say the agency's investigation uncovered more than enough evidence to prove that Sunday Riley had engaged in online review fraud -- including an Instagram comment posted by a brand representative that confirmed the company had posted fake reviews. But the FTC voted 3â"2 to allow Sunday Riley to settle the charges by agreeing not to post future fake reviews, without admitting fault.
The case in question concerns skin-care brand Sunday Riley, which on Monday agreed to settle FTC charges that it posted faked reviews for its products on Sephora's website for nearly two years. The FTC has the power to punish companies for engaging in online review fraud through fines, forfeitures, or notices, among other things. But the Sunday Riley decision amounted to little more than finger wagging, Chopra and Slaughter say. The dissenting commissioners say the agency's investigation uncovered more than enough evidence to prove that Sunday Riley had engaged in online review fraud -- including an Instagram comment posted by a brand representative that confirmed the company had posted fake reviews. But the FTC voted 3â"2 to allow Sunday Riley to settle the charges by agreeing not to post future fake reviews, without admitting fault.
good! (Score:2)
Free speech is preferable to state regulation of "truth". Anyone who disagrees with me is a totalitarian.
This is my shocked face (Score:2, Insightful)
"Commissioners Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Slaughter of the Federal Trade Commission"
Ah, the two Democrats on the commission that have been at constant war with the three Republicans on the commission practically from the minute they were sworn in are bitching about the commission. Again. As they do in pretty much every interview that they do.
It's getting to the point that just looking at a headline can identify a msmash story.
Re: This is my shocked face (Score:4, Insightful)
when youâ(TM)re losing an argument you focus in process.
The Democrats here focus on the issue at hand, fake reviews are bad for businesses actually offering a good product but not amping it up in a fraudulent way.
You are, without a sense of irony, complaining that the Democrats are complaining.
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Story: The FTC lets companies post fake reviews with basically no punishment.
Comments on Slashdot: "The Democrats are complaining again!"
It's getting to the point that I can predict when Trumpkins will Whatabout the responsibility away from their favorite politicians: Every time.
Bot Fakw Reviews False Advertising (Score:2, Offtopic)
For a start the FCC calling them fake reviews rather than false advertising shows a corrupt intent to protect those people paying for false advertising to be charged with wire fraud. When a individual writes a review without actually reviewing the thing described that is a fake review, as long and only as long the individual receives no benefit for the fake review. Once they are paid by another party to falsely review a product, that false marketing and wire fraud. The paid for false presentation of a produ
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The problem for going after fake reviews is that the US has a long tolerance for exaggerated advertising claims and intellectually dishonest sales practices. Cars, food, pharmaceuticals, airline prices (those fees aren't in the price), cigarettes ("It's Toasted!"), what has been advertised that hasn't been stretched into dishonest descriptions for commercial advantage?
If US business was "quality" focused, its management wouldn't be dominated by marketing and sales people.
I think if you got frank answers fr
Confused about headline (Score:2)
Why is the FTC reviewing Fosters? Wouldn't beer come under the FDA?
(For those people who haven't been down-under, or to an Outback restaurant, Fosters is the beer.Aussies drink.
You're confused about beer (Score:2)
As opposed to what kind of beer? (Score:2)
All beer is shitty, by definition. [youtu.be]
Well, duh. Amazon is built on fake reviews. (Score:2)
Which reviews have to be considered fake?
That's simple: ALL of them!
Even when Amazon still only sold books, we knew that fake reviews was standard practice. Just like buying likes on YouTube or Reddit, later.
This is not something one can curb. It is impossible to curb! Since a user is NOT the same as a person. A user can be a million people (bugmenot.com). Or a million users can be one person (aka sock puppets).
Ditto for IP adresses, or whatever else you can think up.
You have to live with the fact that revi
Reviews = Advertisement (Score:2)
So basically, with this the review becomes an advertisement. If you invest enough (get enough fake reviews) you stand to make some profit.
Truth in advertising doesn't exist and now truth in reviews won't exist either.
Then again, this is about stuff on the internet. If you don't check the source, don't complain when what you see is not what you get.
Its already too late (Score:1)