Google plans to fight fake reviews in the UK through enhanced enforcement steps including account deactivation and standard warning labels and continuing CMA performance updates throughout three years.

Google made important changes to fight fake review practices in UK business listings according to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Consumer warnings will appear across businesses that manipulate their star ratings and review functions will be deactivated permanently when their review violations persist.

Both serial fake reviewers and business enterprises which violate policies face world-wide permanent blocks resulting in closure of their Google and Google Maps review facilities. Full enforcement combined with Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act potential fines will serve as the necessary approach to maintain the strength of these regulatory measures.

Google quantified its annual suppression of millions of fake reviews to the CMA but also committed to three-year reporting of progress in this space. According to CMA Chief Sarah Cardell, users' commitment to reading reviews influences £23 billion in UK consumer spending each year thus the need for equal treatment emerges as an essential priority for both businesses and customers.

The decision to block fake review content represents an expansion of ongoing investigations into online reviews launched by Google and Amazon in 2021 while the CMA enforces action against Amazon.