Fake reviews and the law

Online reviews have become one of the main ways people choose a local business. That influence is exactly why the law takes fake and manipulated reviews seriously. Under the Australian Consumer Law, businesses must not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct, and reviews that misrepresent what customers really think can fall foul of that rule.

This guide sets out the main points from ACCC and business.gov.au guidance. It's useful for customers, so you know what to look out for, and for local businesses, so you know where the lines are. It's general information, not legal advice.

Fake reviews

According to the ACCC, it is illegal for a business to:

• write fake reviews about its own products or services;
• arrange for someone else, such as staff, friends, family or a paid service, to write fake reviews;
• write or arrange fake negative reviews about a competitor.

A fake review is one that doesn't reflect a genuine customer's real experience. That includes reviews from people who never used the business, as well as reviews from people who were told what to say.

Incentives and paid reviews

Businesses can encourage customers to leave reviews. The issue is how. Business.gov.au says that if a business offers an incentive for a review, such as a discount, a gift or an entry in a prize draw, it should:

• offer it whether the review is positive or negative;
• not make it conditional on a positive review;
• disclose that an incentive was offered.

Reviews written in exchange for a free product or service, or by people with a connection to the business, can mislead if that connection isn't disclosed.

Removing or hiding negative reviews

The ACCC says that suppressing, editing or removing genuine negative reviews can give a misleading impression. Examples that can cause problems include:

• showing only positive reviews on a business's website while presenting them as a fair sample;
• asking a platform to remove genuine negative reviews simply because they're negative;
• editing a review to change its meaning;
• filtering reviews so that only happy customers are invited to post publicly.

Businesses can ask platforms to remove reviews that are fake, abusive, defamatory or otherwise break the platform's rules. What they shouldn't do is remove genuine criticism to make themselves look better.

Testimonials

Testimonials on a business's own website or brochures must be genuine and reflect the customer's actual views. Making up testimonials, or altering them in a way that changes their meaning, can mislead. It's fine to choose which genuine testimonials to show, as long as the overall impression isn't misleading.

Responding to reviews

Businesses are free to respond to reviews, and a thoughtful reply can be good for everyone. Good responses:

• thank the reviewer and acknowledge the issue;
• give relevant facts without disclosing private information;
• explain what has been or will be done;
• invite the reviewer to get in touch to resolve things.

Businesses should avoid threatening reviewers, pressuring them to change a review or making accusations they can't support.

Review platforms

Platforms that host reviews also have responsibilities, and most publish rules about what's allowed and how to report a problem. If you think a review is fake, use the platform's reporting tool first.

What customers can do

• Read reviews critically. Our guide to reading online reviews explains the warning signs, such as bursts of similar five-star reviews.
• Look across platforms. Comparing reviews in several places makes manipulation harder to hide.
• Report suspect reviews to the platform and, if you wish, to the ACCC.
• Write honest reviews yourself. Specific, fair reviews help your community.

The ACCC says it doesn't resolve individual complaints, but it uses reports to decide where to focus its compliance and enforcement work.

What local businesses can do

• Ask every customer for a review, not just the happy ones.
• If you offer an incentive, offer it for any review, positive or negative, and say so.
• Never write reviews of your own business or ask friends and staff to do so without disclosure.
• Don't buy reviews from services that promise them.
• Respond to criticism calmly and use it to improve.
• Make sure testimonials are genuine and represent the customer's real view.

Doing this protects you legally and builds the kind of trust that brings repeat business. If you'd like to reach our readers, see feature your business. Any paid placement on this site is clearly labelled, and we never sell reviews.

Common questions from businesses

Can I ask my customers to leave a review? Yes. Asking customers for honest feedback is fine and encouraged. The key is to ask everyone, not just the customers you expect to be happy, and not to tell them what to say.

Can my staff or family review my business? Reviews from people connected to a business can mislead readers who assume they come from independent customers. If someone connected to your business writes a review, the connection should be clear, and it's generally best to avoid this altogether.

Can I run a competition for reviewers? If the competition is open to everyone who leaves a review, whether positive or negative, and you disclose it, that is consistent with business.gov.au's guidance on incentives. A prize only for five-star reviews is not.

What should I do about a review I think is fake? Report it to the platform with the reasons you believe it's fake, such as no record of the customer. Reply calmly and factually if you wish. Avoid accusing the reviewer publicly without evidence.

Can I remove a genuine negative review from my website's testimonials page? You can choose which genuine testimonials to show, but the overall impression must not be misleading. Presenting a hand-picked selection as representative of all customer feedback can cause problems.

Common questions from customers

I was offered a discount for a five-star review. Is that allowed? Making an incentive conditional on a positive review is not consistent with the guidance. You can decline, leave an honest review anyway and, if you wish, report it.

A business asked me to remove my negative review. Do I have to? If your review is honest and accurate, you don't have to remove it. You may choose to update it if the business fixes the problem.

How can I tell if a business is filtering reviews? It can be hard to know. Comparing reviews on independent platforms with those on the business's own website is a good start. If the business's own page shows only glowing comments while independent sites show a mix, the selection may not be representative.

Why it matters for everyone

Fake and filtered reviews harm customers, who make worse choices, and honest businesses, which lose out to competitors willing to cheat. Clear rules, consistently applied, mean that a strong reputation reflects real customer experiences. That benefits everyone who relies on reviews to choose a local business, and every business that earns its good reviews.

Reviews and misleading conduct more broadly

The rules on reviews sit within the broader ban on misleading or deceptive conduct in the Australian Consumer Law. The same principle applies to star ratings displayed in ads, claims such as "Australia's most trusted" and badges suggesting awards or endorsements. If a claim gives a false impression, it can be misleading, whatever form it takes.

Key points

• Writing or arranging fake reviews is illegal, according to the ACCC.
• Incentives should apply to positive and negative reviews alike and be disclosed.
• Suppressing or removing genuine negative reviews can be misleading.
• Testimonials must be genuine and not altered to change their meaning.
• Report fake reviews to the platform and the ACCC.