PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes last week joined a coalition of 22 Attorneys General in support of the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) creation of a new rule aimed at combatting deceptive practices concerning the use of consumer reviews.
“In the digital age, online reviews provide a foundation for informed decision making by consumers,” said Attorney General Mayes. “When unscrupulous businesses post fake reviews or engage in other deceptive practices like buying reviews, honest businesses and consumers are harmed. The FTC’s proposed rule will not only hold bad actors accountable but help re-establish trust between consumers and businesses.”
On September 29th, the Attorneys General filed a comment letter with the FTC in response to the FTC’s notice of proposed rulemaking. In the letter, the Attorneys General supported 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
- 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.
Attorney General Mayes is joined in supporting the FTC’s proposed rule by the Attorneys General of the District of Columbia, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, who led the coalition. They are also joined by the Attorneys General from Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.