Google's cracking down on fake reviews, and is shaming the businesses involved

Fake reviews are the bane of businesses and shoppers alike, unfairly interfering with competition, and making it difficult to make informed decisions. Understandably, companies like Google that manage boatloads of business listings are very interested in doing what they can to minimize the impact of these disruptive forces. Recently, it looks like Google has started a bit of a crackdown on the practice, updating businesses about its Fake Engagement policy and starting to implement some user-facing penalties.

Earlier this month, Search Engine Roundtable reported on a change to Google’s notification about its Fake Engagement policy, informing businesses about the potential consequences for being caught soliciting fake reviews:

• Business Profile will not be able to receive new reviews or ratings for set period of time
• Business Profile’s existing reviews or ratings will be unpublished for set period of time
• Business Profile will display a warning to let consumers know that fake reviews were removed

Previously, these rules were only in place for businesses in the UK, but Google has now expanded them as a general principle. Now, all the strong language in the world is one thing, but is Google actually following through on any of this, and actually holding businesses accountable in the way these rules threaten? It looks like it just might be.

While it doesn’t appear that the public warning Google mentions is an option that’s been used a whole lot, a few examples have been found, like this one shared by Mike Blumenthal on X:

Since this process has already existed in the UK, it makes sense that the examples people are digging up come from over there. But with Google now warning businesses everywhere that review manipulation won’t be tolerated, we wouldn’t be surprised if notices like this one start becoming a lot more widespread.