Spain’s consumer affairs minister is taking up the cudgel for a long-standing complaint of both consumers and companies: fake reviews that either falsely inflate or maliciously damage the reputations of hotels, restaurants and more.
The proposals will take the form of amendments to Spain’s Customer Services Law, but full details are still being worked out. What is known is that it will include a mechanism for business owners to have reviews removed if they can prove them false, either because the ‘customer’ did not buy the service or product or because the content is demonstrably false. Owners would also be able to reply to reviews.
Reviews would only be permitted if posted within 30 days of the use or purchase, buying and selling reviews would be illegal. Violations would be subject to sizable fines.
