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Subject: Google Maps fake business reviews
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Date: 02 Oct 2024 00:45:26 GMT
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From the «people suck in any format» department:
Title: Google Maps is cracking down on fake reviews
Author: Jess Weatherbed
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2024 11:13:15 +0000
Link: https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254882/google-maps-removing-fake-business-reviews-warning-message

[image 1]If a place is caught using fake reviews, Google will temporarily limit
its reviews entirely. | Image: The Verge

Google Maps is reeling in business pages engaging in fake reviews, and
highlighting such activity to its users. Google will now impose restrictions
against business profiles[2] that violate the search giant’s Fake Engagement
policy, such as temporarily removing reviews, blocking new reviews or ratings,
and displaying a warning message on profiles that have had fake reviews
deleted.

The business profile restrictions were introduced in the UK earlier this year,
but Search Engine Roundtable notes[3] that the support page was updated in
mid-September to seemingly apply globally. For the moment, however, only users
in the UK are seeing the business warnings, such as the example posted to X by
Mike Blumenthal[4].
Image: Google / Mike...[4]

Continue reading…[5]

Links:
[1]: https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TiO_23vYCDuKiMmkSnmfH8WfUSs=/0x0%3A2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73611927/STK270_GOOGLE_MAPS_D.0.png (image)
[2]: https://support.google.com/business/answer/14114287 (link)
[3]: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-reviews-restrictions-business-profile-violations-38068.html (link)
[4]: https://x.com/mblumenthal/status/1835746813032177806 (link)
[5]: https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254882/google-maps-removing-fake-business-reviews-warning-message (link)