In a bid to ensure transparency and fairness in the digital age, Italy’s government unveiled a draft law on Tuesday aimed at curbing fake reviews in the hospitality sector, Reuters reported.
The proposed legislation, which requires parliamentary approval, introduces several measures to verify the authenticity of reviews for hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
Under the new law, reviewers would need to provide verifiable identification and proof of their visit to the establishment they wish to review. Additionally, reviews must be submitted within two weeks of the visit and can be removed if deemed false or after two years. However, the draft does not specify who will determine the validity of the reviews.
The law also seeks to ban paid or incentivised reviews, aiming to prevent manipulation of online ratings. While fake hospitality reviews are currently illegal, enforcing these rules has proven challenging. The draft suggests that Italy’s antitrust watchdog be tasked with monitoring reviews and issuing fines for violations.
Industry groups have given the draft regulations a cautious welcome, though some have raised concerns about privacy and the potential decline in anonymous reviews, which could reduce the number of online comments about hotels and restaurants.
“Fake reviews undermine fair competition between businesses and mislead consumers,” said Michele Carrus, chairman of the consumer association Federconsumatori, in an interview with Reuters. “Addressing this issue is crucial, and while challenging, I am optimistic that the parliamentary debate will refine the law.”
Last year, a restaurateur committed suicide after it was exposed she had posted a fake review and response to bolster her pizzeria.
