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TripAdvisor urges Google and Facebook to step up fake-posts fight after it detects over a million bogus reviews

South China Morning Post

發布於 2019年09月18日16:09 • Marissa Carruthers life@scmp.com
  • A TripAdvisor report found that 2.1 per cent of 66 million reviews – nearly 1.4 million – submitted to the site in 2018 were fake
  • One senior director says that as long as other review platforms aren’t taking aggressive action, fraudsters will continue to exploit businesses for cash
TripAdvisor came under fire earlier this month when Which? Travel accused it of failing to stop fraudulent posts. Photo: Alamy
TripAdvisor came under fire earlier this month when Which? Travel accused it of failing to stop fraudulent posts. Photo: Alamy

One million fake reviews have been snared by travel platform TripAdvisor as it steps up its fight to catch out fraudulent posters, the company has announced.

This week, the user-contributed travel review website published its first Review Transparency Report. It contains details about the number of fake and misleading reviews posted on the popular online platform.

TripAdvisor is seen as the go-to hub for many seeking recommendations for hotels, restaurants, bars and other activities during their travels, and businesses know the financial rewards that await if they hit the website's revered top 10 lists.

Many places proudly parade "As recommended in TripAdvisor" stickers, and its signature logo is brandished across hotel and restaurant websites that have achieved a coveted TripAdvisor Top 10 title.

TripAdvisor says it has continued to make advancements to its
TripAdvisor says it has continued to make advancements to its

Then there are spots offering freebies in exchange for dubious good reviews: a free coffee at a cafe or cocktail at a bar. Taking it to another level are fake reviewers and a rising number of companies selling fake reviews, jeopardising TripAdvisor's credibility in a world that operates exclusively on delivering reliable recommendations.

The new report comes amid growing concerns about unscrupulous posters. Consumer organisation and magazine Which? Travel this month gave TripAdvisor a bashing when it accused the company of failing to stop fraudulent posts.

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A Which? analysis of 247,277 reviews of the 10 highest-ranking hotels in 10 popular global tourist destinations found one in seven had fake reviews. It reported 15 hotels to TripAdvisor. A total of 14 had already been caught posting fake reviews in the previous year and issued with warnings.

TripAdvisor responded, claiming in an official statement the data was flawed. Now it has released the results of an in-depth study that details how its team of expert fraud investigators help keep TripAdvisor squeaky clean.

The report found that 66 million reviews were submitted to TripAdvisor in 2018. Of these, 2.1 per cent " nearly 1.4 million reviews " were found to be fake. They were part of the 4.7 per cent overall " 3.1 million reviews " that were rejected or removed over the year for reasons ranging from guideline violations to instances of fraud.

As long as other review platforms aren't taking aggressive action, then fraudsters will continue to exploit and extort small businesses for cashBecky Foley, senior director of trust and safety, TripAdvisor

An additional 34,643 businesses were hit with a ranking penalty from TripAdvisor. Ranking penalties see companies lose scores and drop down the ladder. This is applied to businesses caught posting suspicious reviews.

"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," says Becky Foley, senior director of trust and safety at TripAdvisor.

In a bid to create an even playing field and rid the internet of misleading reviews, Foley urged other major online players to up their game in the fight against fraud.

"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," she says.

A TripAdvisor certificate can be a huge boost for business. Photo: Alamy
A TripAdvisor certificate can be a huge boost for business. Photo: Alamy

The report has also thrown the spotlight on another internet trend " the rise of companies flogging fake reviews, likes and followers. Since 2015, TripAdvisor has stopped the activity of more than 75 websites that were caught trying to sell reviews.

A landmark case in September 2018 saw an unnamed man given a nine-month prison sentence after trying to sell more than 1,000 positive TripAdvisor reviews to hundreds of businesses throughout Italy. The Criminal Court of Lecce also fined him US$10,000.

"Consumer reviews have become essential to millions of tourism activities around the world," says Pascal Lamy, chairman of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics at the World Tourism Organisation. "It is progress, provided that … these reviews are reliable and unbiased."

Copyright (c) 2019. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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