WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission on Friday proposed a new rule that would ban paying for reviews, suppressing honest reviews, selling fake social media engagement and more.
If the proposed rule is approved, following a 60-day public comment period, violators could face hefty fees.
The FTC noted that it already considers fake reviews and other deceptive actions to be unlawful — but that the new bans "may increase deterrence against these practices," allow for civil penalties and help get financial compensation to victims, the agency said.
Critics of the rule, as acknowledge in Friday's notice, question how effective it would be.
