Every time you browse through a food delivery aggregator app or a travel app are you sceptical about the reviews you come across? Do some of them seem a little promotional or are they genuine? Well, the government is here to make your lives a little easier. To crack down on fake reviews, the government now wants hotel and travel companies to disclose their rating and review methodology. Here’s more about it.
Govt To Crack Down On Fake Reviews On Hotel & Travel Portals
Apart from hotel and travel platforms, the government wants e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart to disclose all their paid consumer reviews. So, customers can make informed decisions without being misled by fake reviews. Moreover, the government also bans purchased reviews written by people hired from third-party agencies or suppliers.
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Also, hotels and travel portals must reveal the methodology used by them to give stars to their products and services. Travel and booking platforms must adhere to these new guidelines from November 25 onwards. Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh. revealed to Business Today that India is the first country to introduce an organised framework to counter fake reviews. Swiggy, Meesho, Google, Meta, Tata Sons, Zepto, Amazon, Blinkit and Flipkart were some of the companies part of this committee formulating the guidelines.
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Tripadvisor Witnessed 1 Million Paid Reviews In 2021; Highest From India
Interestingly, according to a report by The Guardian in 2021, Tripadvisor identified and removed one million fake reviews on their website. This is 3.6 per cent of their total reviews. And you know what’s shocking? Trip Advisor ranked India right at the top of the list of countries with the most paid reviews.
Well, we hope that this move by the government will prevent fake reviews and give customers authentic information so they can make an informed decision. Meanwhile, let us know if you’ve come across any misleading information on hotel and travel portals?
Cover Image Courtesy: Pixabay
