
Booking.com, Expedia Group, Glassdoor, Tripadvisor, Amazon, and Trustpilot have launched a global coalition for trusted reviews.
The cross-industry collaboration says it is committed to protecting access to trustworthy consumer reviews worldwide. Together, members will define best practices for hosting online reviews and sharing methods of fake review detection, aiming to stop fake reviews at the source.
The companies met in October 2022 in San Francisco at the first ever Fake Reviews Conference, organised by Tripadvisor. Attendees heard from experts in government, academia and the industry at large on common challenges and potential mitigation approaches related to the issue of fake reviews. This resulted in the establishment of a formal coalition to collaborate on public education and ongoing information sharing between members, in an effort to decrease review fraud.
The group has agreed to engage in several key areas to protect consumers and partners from fake reviews, working to help ensure the public is not misled by fraudulent content. These areas include industry alignment, best practice sharing, information sharing and advocacy.
The coalition says it is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability. Through collaborative initiatives, they aim to set new standards for maintaining the authenticity of reviews, instilling confidence in consumers worldwide.
Coalition members will next meet in Brussels on December 5th and 6th at the second Fake Reviews Conference, organised by Amazon.
Spencer Mott, chief security officer at Booking.com said: “With more than 300 million verified reviews from real guests on our platform, we are actively invested in ensuring the ongoing credibility of our programme, both for travellers and our partners.”
He added: “From machine learning fraud detection models to custom-made tooling for our teams of experienced moderators, we are continuously enhancing our efforts, including through collaborating with this coalition of like-minded platforms. Together we can explore best practices and learn from each other, thereby increasing awareness across the industry to the benefit of an even wider array of consumers and businesses.”
CJ Allen, vice president, marketplace experience & trust, Expedia Group, said: “Authentic reviews are crucial for travellers when booking accommodations, destinations, and experiences. We use technology not only to detect fraudulent postings but also to implement a human touch, further validating the honesty and transparency of reviews. Expedia Group takes pride in participating in this coalition to combat these fake actors, who pose a direct threat to our industry’s most valuable asset: trust.”
Becky Foley, vice president, trust & safety, Tripadvisor said: “The trust that consumers and partners have in our platforms and businesses is a top priority for the members of this coalition, all of whom agreed to join together to fight fake review content on the internet. To further maintain the credibility and authenticity of reviews on our platforms, we aim to make it increasingly difficult for fraudulent actors who try to deceive our customers to operate online. Combating these operators, particularly those attempting to sell fake reviews to companies looking to improve their online reputations, will be an immediate area of focus. These actors often operate outside of jurisdictions with a legal framework to shut down fraudulent activity, making robust cooperation even more important.”