At Aqueous Digital, we’ve long maintained the belief that the concept of reviewing companies is flawed, having a significant effect on the success of businesses across the world.
From the calculated weaponisation of reviews to the disproportionate impact that fake or bad reviews can have on small businesses, it becomes clear that reviews simply can’t be trusted, but can they be improved?
What's new?
As reported by Search Engine Journal, Google Maps has now enlisted support with their content moderation efforts from one of the most talked about and rapidly-growing technologies in the world – AI (Artificial Intelligence).
Following an update to its AI systems for Maps and Business Profiles, Google is now using the generative AI, Gemini, for content moderation purposes to help detect and remove fake reviews as well as suspicious profile edits.
With regards to the content moderation of reviews, the system has been specifically engaged to track reviews over time and identify fake five-star reviews. As a result, it can help filter out suspiciously positive reviews written by users that have never engaged with the business to manipulate the company’s online reputation.
These fake reviews are often purchased by the business itself and can be detrimental to both consumers and legitimate businesses. To increase user awareness of these prohibited practices, the system will also warn users when suspicious five-star reviews have been removed with the following alert:
‘Suspected fake reviews were recently removed from this place’
If the user selects ‘Details’, more information is then provided which explains that posting reviews has also been temporarily suspended for the business:
‘Positing reviews is turned off for this place. Google has temporarily turned off posting reviews due to a recent increase in suspicious high-rated reviews. The suspicious reviews were removed and the rating updated.’
The user is then provided with a link to learn more about fake engagement. While Google has plans to extend the alerts worldwide in May, they’re currently being raised in just the US, UK, and India for now.
Is AI the solution to fake reviews?
On the face of it, this AI addition seems like a step forward, right? After all, fewer fake reviews mean consumers should be able to put more of their trust in the company’s overall review rating as well as the individual, positive reviews that remain.
However, this often isn’t the case.
Fundamentally, the internet is unfortunately filled with users that simply aren’t interested in providing genuine, well intentioned, and balanced reviews. Instead, disgruntled employees and customers, often operating under pseudonyms, head to Google and hold businesses to ransom with damning reviews.
And as this AI tool is designed to only target fake five-star reviews, this means it leaves behind the negative, weaponised reviews to taint the water.
It’s equally important to acknowledge that AI isn’t without error. As reported by Search Engine Land, Google’s AI Overviews feature has received significant feedback for the generation of incorrect, misleading, and even dangerous responses to some user enquiries.
What does this mean for business profiles?
With regards to the introduction of AI for the moderation of reviews, it follows that mistakes could also occur in this area, leading to the potential removal of genuine, five-star reviews.
The public alerts added to the business’s profile also draw user attention to the fact that five-star reviews have recently been removed from the company’s profile and, to add insult to injury, temporarily inhibits customers from posting their own reviews.
By suggesting that the company is intentionally trying to deceive consumers, these mistakes could lead to costly and long-lasting reputation damage.
While Google is intent on “working on the front lines and behind the scenes to keep content on Google Maps helpful and reliable”, it’s clear that caution is still necessary when using reviews to help you make important consumer decisions.
Unsure about what this change means for your business? Get in touch with the team at Aqueous today for more information.
