Amazon Admits Blocking 200 Million Fake Reviews

Amazon Acknowledges the Prevalence of Fake Reviews

Amazon has publicly recognized the existence of a significant issue with fraudulent reviews on its platform. However, the company’s recent statement primarily focuses on shifting responsibility to other parties rather than outlining concrete new solutions.

For years, concerns have been raised regarding the proliferation of counterfeit goods and inauthentic reviews on the online retail giant. Amazon now presents itself as actively addressing the problem, but the emphasis is placed on the need for external entities to improve their efforts in maintaining the platform’s integrity.

The Unreliability of Amazon Reviews

The trustworthiness of Amazon reviews has diminished considerably. This decline coincides with the platform’s increasing acceptance of counterfeit products, resellers from sites like AliExpress, and the promotion of its own branded items – often developed using data obtained from third-party sellers.

Numerous investigations have revealed organized schemes involving the mass submission of artificially inflated five-star reviews, often in exchange for complimentary products or monetary compensation. Such offers have even been extended directly to reviewers, with promises of payment for improved ratings.

Automated Review Vetting and Reported Numbers

Amazon states that, like other large technology companies, it employs automated systems to screen reviews before they become visible to customers. While the company has historically been reluctant to disclose specific figures, it recently revealed that it blocked over 200 million potentially fraudulent reviews in 2020.

This number is substantial, particularly when considered alongside Amazon’s reported analysis of over 10 million review submissions each week. This weekly volume equates to more than 520 million submissions annually, suggesting that at least one-third of all submitted reviews are flagged as inauthentic.

Total Review Volume and Estimates

Determining the exact total number of reviews hosted by Amazon is challenging. Tommy Noonan of ReviewMeta, an Amazon listing analysis website, estimated that approximately 250 million reviews were present on the platform in 2020, with around 9% deemed “unnatural.”

Considering that over 500 million reviews were submitted in 2020, and roughly 200 million were identified as fake, the actual total number of reviews is likely significantly higher. Further clarification on these numbers has been requested from Amazon, with updates to follow if provided.

Social Media Groups and Fake Review Networks

Large groups operating on social media platforms have been repeatedly identified as key contributors to the fake review problem. Amazon reports having alerted these platforms to 300 such groups in the first quarter of 2020, and over 1,000 in the same period of 2021.

While takedown times have increased, this trend suggests a profitable and expanding business model, rather than one being effectively suppressed.

Calls for Action from Social Media Companies

“It is imperative for social media companies to invest adequately in proactive controls to detect and enforce fake reviews ahead of our reporting the issue to them,” Amazon asserts. Social media platforms are facing increasing pressure to assume greater responsibility for user activity, but their responses often mirror Amazon’s – acknowledging the problem while claiming limited capacity for resolution.

The Need for Regulatory Assistance

“We need coordinated assistance from consumer protection regulators around the world,” Amazon states. However, the company actively lobbied against the INFORM Act, legislation designed to enhance seller identification and transparency in online marketplaces. Ironically, Amazon has independently implemented some of the measures it opposed in the Act.

The absence of any mention of the INFORM Act when discussing consumer protection is notable.

Accountability for Bad Actors

“It is also critical that we hold bad actors—and the service providers that provide them with fake reviews—accountable for their activity,” the post emphasizes. While legal action and law enforcement partnerships are part of this effort, the call for “working together” feels disingenuous given that Amazon controls the ecosystem where this activity occurs.

Despite banning some prominent offenders, countless others continue to violate the rules without consequence.

Lack of New Commitments

The statement does not outline any new initiatives Amazon will undertake to deter fraudulent activity or address the widespread manipulation of its review system. The company pledges to “continue to enhance” its detection tools, “streamline processes” for partnerships, and “work hard” at holding scammers accountable.

Essentially, Amazon intends to maintain its current approach – the very approach that led to the current situation.