UK secures action from Amazon to tackle fake reviews
has committed to do more to tackle fake reviews, including sanctioning British businesses that boost their ratings through bogus posts, the country's competition watchdog said on Friday.
Following a four-year probe, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Amazon's undertakings also addressed its concerns about 'catalogue abuse' where sellers use the reviews of well-performing unrelated products to boost ratings and mislead customers.
Companies that break the rules could be banned from selling on the e-commerce giant's platform altogether, while users who post fake reviews could be banned from posting reviews.
Amazon also committed to robust processes to quickly detect and remove fake reviews and catalogue abuse, the CMA said.
The regulator, which estimates that 90% of consumers use online reviews to inform purchases, began investigating Amazon and Google in 2021 over possible breaches of consumer protection law. It secured similar commitments from Google in January.
"These new commitments matter and help set the standard," CMA boss Sarah Cardell said in a statement.
The watchdog is conducting an initial sweep of review platforms following the release of new reviews guidance in April, seeking to identify platforms that may need to do more to comply with consumer law.
Under its newly-granted powers, the CMA can independently decide whether consumer law has been infringed and take action in case of breaches, including issuing fines and ordering businesses to improve their practices.
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UK secures action from Amazon to tackle fake reviews
Amazon has committed to do more to tackle fake reviews, including sanctioning British businesses that boost their ratings through bogus posts, the country's competition watchdog said on Friday. Following a four-year probe, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Amazon's undertakings also addressed its concerns about 'catalogue abuse' where sellers use the reviews of well-performing unrelated products to boost ratings and mislead customers. Companies that break the rules could be banned from selling on the e-commerce giant's platform altogether, while users who post fake reviews could be banned from posting reviews. Amazon also committed to robust processes to quickly detect and remove fake reviews and catalogue abuse, the CMA said. The regulator, which estimates that 90% of consumers use online reviews to inform purchases, began investigating Amazon and Google in 2021 over possible breaches of consumer protection law. It secured similar commitments from Google in January. "These new commitments matter and help set the standard," CMA boss Sarah Cardell said in a statement. The watchdog is conducting an initial sweep of review platforms following the release of new reviews guidance in April, seeking to identify platforms that may need to do more to comply with consumer law. Under its newly-granted powers, the CMA can independently decide whether consumer law has been infringed and take action in case of breaches, including issuing fines and ordering businesses to improve their practices.
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Despite his wealth, estimated at over $220 billion, Bezos couldn't secure a spot for his $500 million yacht in the principality's port. The yacht's immense size poses both environmental and visual challenges, even in a locale synonymous with luxury. Monaco's Port Too Small for Bezos' Yacht Jeff Bezos' visit to Monaco with his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, coincided with the prestigious Grand Prix of Formula 1, an event that attracts the global elite each May. The couple has developed a penchant for maritime travel, choosing to approach the glamorous event by sea. However, as Koru neared Monaco's port, local authorities requested that it remain anchored offshore. The reason was straightforward: the yacht's staggering dimensions—417 feet in length, 56 feet in width, and masts reaching 230 feet—made it unsuitable for docking in the crowded harbor. To put its size into perspective, the yacht is longer than a standard American football field, which measures 360 feet. 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