The Italian government is taking steps to eliminate fake reviews on the internet, a growing concern for the industry due to the damage they can cause. The proposed bill restricts the use of online review platforms, requiring users to prove their identity and ensure they have actually visited the business in question. Additionally, it proposes a 15-day time frame for publishing reviews, which must be “well-founded” and “sufficiently detailed.”
The government has also announced that hotels and restaurants will be able to request the removal of negative comments if they can prove they have taken measures to resolve the issues reported in the reviews or if the reviews are deemed misleading or false. Moreover, the government has banned the buying and selling of reviews, whether through monetary payments or incentives.
The proposal has been welcomed by business and consumer organizations, but critics have urged direct intervention in the field of social networks, where influencers often post untruthful reviews in exchange for compensation.
According to research, online reviews influence 82% of accommodation bookings and 70% of bar and restaurant bookings. Business owners claim that online reviews can impact their turnover by 6-30%.
Fake reviews can be orchestrated by competitors or by those who have received payment or incentives. In 2022, Tripadvisor reported that 4% of its reviews were fake, with India and Russia generating 15.6% and 13% of paid reviews, respectively.
The government’s proposal has sparked a debate about the veracity of online opinions, with the European Union having also focused on the issue. The directive on unfair commercial practices requires that truthful information be presented to consumers so they can make informed choices.
