Press Releases
10/04/2023
Attorney General Tong Seeks Stronger Rules Against Fake and Deceptive Consumer Reviews
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong has joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general backing the Federal Trade Commission’s effort to adopt new rules to combat deceptive practices concerning the use of consumer reviews.“We all rely on online reviews for so many important purchases. Fake or manipulated reviews and paid posts suppress honest information and deceive consumers. I urge the FTC to adopt strong, new rules to crack down on fake reviews and protect consumers from these harmful, deceptive practices,” said Attorney General Tong.
In a comment letter filed with the FTC, the attorneys general were supportive of the proposed Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (“Rule”), which, if enacted, will specifically prohibit:
• Fake or false consumer reviews;
• Repurposed reviews (reviews for one product made to look like reviews for different products);
• Buying reviews (whether positive or negative);
• Reviews by individuals affiliated with the seller without proper disclosures;
• Representing a website or entity is providing independent reviews when the website or entity is owned or controlled by a seller;
• Suppressing reviews; and
• Buying and selling fake indicators of social media influence.
In addition to supporting the proposed rule, the attorneys general also offered suggestions to strengthen the proposed rule’s provisions regarding review suppression.
The attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin signed the letter.
A copy of the letter can be found here.
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Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov