Companies used to treat online reviews like a soft KPI. In 2025 that is a hard risk surface. The FTC’s review rule is live in the US, the EU’s DSA transparency duties now apply across platforms, and Google, Yelp, and Amazon are actively removing or flagging suspicious activity. Below is a clear, attractive guide that separates what is now illegal from what you can do safely, with practical playbooks you can ship this week.
The matrix: what is illegal now and what to do instead
| Illegal tactic | Why it is illegal or barred | Risk signals | Compliant alternative | How to implement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buying or selling reviews | Prohibited under the FTC rule. Civil penalties possible. Platforms also remove and flag. | Sudden rating spikes, identical phrasing, one-and-done accounts. | First-party collection, no incentives | Neutral requests to all buyers within 3–7 days. Track opt-outs. |
| Incentivized reviews (Google/Yelp/Amazon) | Platforms forbid incentives; Yelp also bans asking altogether. | Mentions of discounts or gift cards; promo-linked bursts. | Platform-specific compliant flows | Yelp: do not ask. Google: no incentives. Use neutral surveys. |
| Review gating / filtering | Biased sampling is deceptive and misleads consumers. | Only happy customers get links; detractors suppressed. | All-customer outreach | One standardized ask to 100% of eligible customers. |
| Undisclosed employee/family reviews | Material connections must be disclosed; otherwise deceptive. | HQ IP overlap, insider details in copy. | Disclose or do not post | Written staff policy that bans reviewing. |
| Fake identities / AI personas | Targeted by the FTC rule and platform anti-spam systems. | Stock avatars, recycled phrasing, abnormal device clusters. | Verified buyer workflow | Link review to order or appointment IDs. |
| Threats or lawsuits to silence reviews | Intimidation and bogus legal threats trigger enforcement. | Fee penalties, NDA misuse, template demand letters. | Service recovery + transparent reply | Resolve in 24h; post factual, empathetic response. |
| Astroturfing via agencies/farms | Misrepresents real experience; violates rules and laws. | Bursts from same ASN or device types; reused templates. | Audited UGC partners only | SOW clauses for logs, audits, and indemnity. |
| Review swaps with other businesses | Conflict of interest; deceptive endorsement. | Mutual 5-star patterns across unrelated categories. | Customer councils / beta panels | Collect private feedback; publish only organic reviews. |
| Reviews from non-customers or pre-use | Platforms require firsthand experience. | Review before visit/delivery date; missing proof. | Timed post-experience requests | Trigger after fulfillment with timestamp proof. |
| Syndicating the same review as unique | Misleads users; triggers duplicate detection. | Identical wording across sites within minutes. | First-party testimonials with label | Show source and date; get permission. |
| Paying staff for review volume | Creates inducement and bias; patterns get flagged. | Leaderboards for review count; sudden spikes. | Reward service quality | Tie bonuses to resolution speed and CSAT, not stars. |
| Editing reviews in exchange for perks | Incentivized revision violates policies; deceives users. | Sentiment flip right after a coupon or gift. | Transparent follow-up with no incentive | Invite updates only after resolution, never with perks. |
Twelve compliant alternatives you can deploy safely
Neutral request to every eligible buyer within 3–7 days.
- Why compliant: No gating; no perks.
- Checklist: One link, opt-out honored, language neutral.
Simple “Rate your visit” signage with no mention of stars or rewards.
- Why compliant: Voluntary, non-incentivized.
- Checklist: Unique UTM per location; rotate codes quarterly.
Short text with a single link during local daytime hours.
- Why compliant: Consent required; clear stop instructions.
- Checklist: Respect quiet hours; capture country codes.
On-site NPS for service fixes. Results are internal only.
- Why compliant: Not posted publicly; no gating.
- Checklist: Rotate prompts; sanitize data daily.
Show date, SKU, and “Verified purchase” badge on owned pages.
- Why compliant: Transparent provenance; not misrepresented as platform reviews.
- Checklist: Get permission; label source; avoid star icons if syndicated.
Written rule that insiders do not post platform reviews.
- Why compliant: Removes undisclosed material connections.
- Checklist: HR onboarding; annual refresh; signed acknowledgment.
First reply under 24 hours; resolution summary by 72 hours.
- Why compliant: Transparent service recovery without pressure.
- Checklist: Triage queue; canned but human templates.
Wrong-store, mistaken identity, competitor attacks, policy clarifications.
- Why compliant: Clear, factual replies; no inducements.
- Checklist: Legal reviewed; localizable; include escalation path.
Track changes to Google, Yelp, Amazon rules and record a changelog.
- Why compliant: Prevents accidental violations after updates.
- Checklist: Owner assigned; reminders; archive snapshots.
Sample language, device, and timing to flag manipulation risk.
- Why compliant: Detects non-genuine patterns early.
- Checklist: Simple scripts or vendor reports; document follow-ups.
If a vendor touches reviews, require logs, source proof, and indemnity.
- Why compliant: Prevents astroturfing risk via third parties.
- Checklist: No solicitation clauses; audit rights; termination triggers.
Teach the differences: Yelp is no-ask; Google is no-incentive; Amazon is strict on compensation.
- Why compliant: Reduces accidental violations at the edge.
- Checklist: Quarterly refreshers; quick laminated cheat-sheet; quiz.
Sources you can verify quickly: the FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule took effect Oct 21, 2024 and empowers civil penalties for knowing violations; Reuters reported fines up to 51,744 dollars per violation; the EU’s DSA transparency database and reporting duties apply platform-wide from 2024 with 2025 reporting; Google prohibits incentivized and fake engagement on reviews and has been publicly cracking down; Yelp bans soliciting reviews and can penalize visibility; Amazon bars compensated reviews and manipulative behavior.
