Google pledges to crack down on fake reviews after UK watchdog investigation

Google is pledging to crack down on fake online reviews with tougher punishments for rogue reviewers and businesses after an investigation by regulators in Britain. The Competition and Markets Authority said that Google is taking “rigorous steps” to detect and remove sham reviews. That will let it can quickly identify and investigate businesses and reviewers trying to benefit from the phony posts. Google will delete fake reviews from people who repeatedly write them for U.K. businesses, and ban them from posting new reviews. Businesses that try to artificially boost their star ratings will get warning alerts slapped on their Google profiles. Consumers will get way to quickly and easily report shady reviews.