United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
TripAdvisor blocked over 1 million fake reviews last year
TripAdvisor managed to stop over 1 million fake reviews being displayed on its website last year, according to a report out today.
The review giant’s 29-page report says nearly 35,000 businesses were pushed down the ranking because they were caught attempting to post fake reviews.
In total, 4.7% of 66 million reviews submitted to TripAdvisor in 2018 were rejected or removed, either for guideline violations or instances of review fraud.
TripAdvisor said only a small fraction of all review submissions (2.1%) were determined to be fraudulent, and the vast majority of those (73%) were blocked before they were ever posted.
The report also claims that less than 1% of reviews were flagged by users or businesses for potentially violating TripAdvisor guidelines.
TripAdvisor’s first ever Review Transparency Report analysed a full year’s worth of data on reviews submitted.
"Ensuring that TripAdvisor is a trusted platform for our users and listed businesses is a top priority. We’ve continued to make advancements to our industry-leading fraud detection efforts in recent years, but it’s a daily battle and we are far from complacent," said Becky Foley, senior director of trust and safety at TripAdvisor.
"While we are winning the fight against fake reviews on TripAdvisor, we can only protect our corner of the internet. As long as other review platforms aren’t taking aggressive action, then fraudsters will continue to exploit and extort small businesses for cash. It is time other platforms like Google and Facebook stepped up to the plate to join us in tackling this problem head on."
The report also outlined TripAdvisor’s efforts to catch paid reviewers, including 75 websites that were caught trying to sell reviews.
Last year the owner of an illegal business that was selling fake reviews in Italy was sentenced to nine months in prison and fined around €8,000 in costs and damages.
Download the report by clicking here.
Related News Stories:
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled