When social networks did not exist and current influencers They were not born, one of the great motivators for a purchase was the “word of mouth” recommendation.
Digitality brought new experiences and sales channels with their own rating systems. However, in recent years there has been an increase in fake recommendations industrya business that moves millions of dollars a year and that is beginning to be punished in different countries. viva
According to the American NGO Fake Review Watch There are companies that sell as a service the creation of fake recommendations from thousands of profiles generated for this purpose in different parts of the worldorchestrating a truly global fraud that deceives consumers and creates unfair competition for thousands of honest companies.
It is the incarnation of misleading advertising in the 21st century but, as the organization points out Review Fraudbig tech companies, regulators and states are just taking awareness of this failure in business ethics that seriously damages the market and harms people’s rights.
He mode of operation The most common is to flood your own or third-party sites, such as Google Maps or Amazon, with positive comments and ratings that never drop below 4 or 5 stars.
The development of massive language models such as Chat GPT also allows the creation of easier convincing texts. In 2022 alone, Google deleted 115 million fake comments in its apps application. And Amazon, more than 200 million among its products.
The lying recommendations affect products for personal use or gastronomic spaces and also study centers, law firms and even doctors and health professionals.
“A $10 kitchen knife or bad headphones won’t ruin a home. But choosing the wrong doctor, lawyer or contractor can ruin your life”Curtis Boyd, founder of the NGO Transparency Company, told The New York Times.
Things, however, seem to be changing. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission presented new regulations with strong sanctions to those companies that buy or sell fake reviews. And the same companies are evaluating creating their own action coalition.
Of course the reviews of buyers and users are not the only thing that potential clients look atbut the word of the influencers is just as strong.
There is no shortage of dishonest behavior here either, but those who formed a strong community based on trust shine. The most complete example is Rocío Strat, the influencer behind @lachicadelbrunchan account with more than three million followers which can literally transform a gastronomic venture overnight if you mention it.
“We have to go before Brunch Girl recommend it and it is filled with people” is a joke that was heard this summer when discovering a new café or a hidden eatery. Perhaps the remedy to fake reviews is to return to the old and so effective “word of mouth”.
