this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2024
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A federal rule banning fake online reviews is now in effect. 

The Federal Trade Commission issued the rulein August banning the sale or purchase of online reviews. The rule, which went into effect Monday, allows the agency to seek civil penalties against those who knowingly violate it.

“Fake reviews not only waste people’s time and money, but also pollute the marketplace and divert business away from honest competitors,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said about the rule in August. She added that the rule will “protect Americans from getting cheated, put businesses that unlawfully game the system on notice, and promote markets that are fair, honest, and competitive.”

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[–] [email protected] 99 points 2 months ago (6 children)

allows the agency to seek civil penalties against those who knowingly violate it.

I hate that wording. Ignorance of the law isn't a defense, unless you're a corporation, apparently.

It also looks like this doesn't address the practice of offering incentive for actual purchasers to leave positive reviews.

[–] FPSkra 68 points 2 months ago

That's not what knowingly means in this context. Knowingly refers to the level of intent required to pursue charges, not whether they knew there was a law against it.

In this case it requires the government to show that the person intended to leave a review and/or testimonials that misrepresent that they are by someone who does not exist.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Anyways my brother works for the FTC. With the current funding, they take thousands of complaints before they even look into something. It’s effectively useless as only the most publicised cases get any enforcement and the fines are tiny. And he says it was twice as bad before Biden.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago

The wording is a bit ambiguous but I'd read that as "intentionally" rather than "with knowledge they're violating the law"... it definitely could have used a good copy editor though.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They'll just outsource it to foreign "reputation management" firms and pretend they had no idea what was happening, like how Coke got away with murdering union members in a foreign country.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Holy shit, killercoke.org goes fucking hard

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

Interesting

This post sponsored by PepsiCo

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

That's not true, ignorance of the law is also a valid defense for police officers violating people's rights 🙄

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[–] [email protected] 77 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Awesome, now make them criminally liable.

Corporations are people, no? Throw them in prison.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 months ago (3 children)

IMO, corporate punishments should work like that: steal a little from someone? Lose 90 days of profit. Steal a lot? Lose a couple years of profits. Kill someone? Lose 20 years of profits

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago (5 children)

Jailing CEOs works better only because money is easy to manipulate. Loosing 20 years of profit just means bankruptcy. Make a new name new company buys all assets of bankrupt at fault company and nothing but the name changes. I'm with the idea that if companies have personhood than the person in charge is responsible for harm that personhood does.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I wonder if having to face consequences for their actions would change how CEOs behave 🤔

[–] moakley 5 points 2 months ago

The CEO would just be a fall guy, and the decision-making would go to someone else.

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[–] Wogi 5 points 2 months ago

They tried that when McDonald's served coffee that gave an old woman 3rd degree burns on her genitals.

A single days profits from coffee.

McDonald's fought that in court, and spent many thousands of dollars on a PR campaign to vilify the woman they burned.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Jail or volcano sacrifice. I'm sick of rich fucks being above the law and fines are just an expected, calculated, and bet against expense to a big business.

[–] AngryCommieKender 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"I will believe that corporations are people, once Texas executes one."

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[–] [email protected] 61 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Lina Khan is literally too good for consumers, that's why she don't last :(

[–] 4lan 9 points 2 months ago

She is doing more for the working class than any other government official. And yet no one knows her name

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Who was that punchable face guy who undid net neutrality? And she is completely opposite.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Ajit Pai is that scumbags name. If I ever bump into him at a grocery store I plan to give him the same level of respect he gave the American people.

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[–] Budakai 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

You mean this guy? Ajit Pai. Fuck him and his ridiculous mug

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[–] PugJesus 43 points 2 months ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago

Give me 10 Lina Khans and I'll give you the world.

[–] FlyingSquid 13 points 2 months ago

I wish she was the one running for president. Maybe in eight years if we're lucky and have Harris. And/or legal elections in four.

[–] nothingcorporate 11 points 2 months ago

Lina Khan is the most useful bureaucrat in at least a generation.

[–] FrowingFostek 32 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I've said it once and I'll say it again. I love the work Lina Khan is doing. Its going to be so sad when Kamala gives her the boot :(

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why would Harris give her the boot? Khan was placed in position by Biden.

[–] Postmortal_Pop 22 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Its up for debate if she will, but a lot of big ticket donors are ~~bribing her~~ requesting it as a favor for donating to her campaign.

[–] Fedizen 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I thought most of those big donors were just straight up backing trump. I guess the tariffs got them down?

[–] Postmortal_Pop 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That or they pay both sides.

[–] pivot_root 11 points 2 months ago

They definitely pay both sides. It's a small price for an almost guaranteed increase in profits.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 2 months ago (3 children)

They can do it for reviews, why not news?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (4 children)

The constitution is pretty clear about the power of government to regulate commerce, and is also pretty clear that the government can’t regulate most speech.

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[–] finitebanjo 25 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Some guy in India is gonna get fined $7,498,342.37 in three years and I'm all for it.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Oh dude they literally had an activity at my old cult where they had everyone make a dozen fake reviews at each of their local buildings. That's gonna be fun.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm sorry, "my old cult"? Care to give some background? Obviously if you'd rather not that's completely up to you :)

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[–] johannesvanderwhales 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

And then he won't pay it because he's in India and doesn't pay a lot of attention to the US FTC.

[–] finitebanjo 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

There is a very long history of expeditions and fines against foreign nationals involving spam, scams, etc. Here is a recent example., and another example, and a much older and bigger example

But you never hear about any of the good stuff the US Government does for its people, nobody ever talks about that stuff.

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[–] spankmonkey 25 points 2 months ago

The Federal Trade Commission today announced a final rule that will combat fake reviews and testimonials by prohibiting their sale or purchase and allow the agency to seek civil penalties against knowing violators.

Oh good, glad they didn't ban obvious joke ones people post for free, like the top reviews for the 50 gallon barrel of lube.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (7 children)

Better than nothing but it also seems like it might be kind of difficult to prove the company allowed it knowingly.

[–] FPSkra 7 points 2 months ago

It prevented reviews and testimonials that misrepresent that they are by someone who does not exist. Fairly easy to prove. If they catch an individual posting a review while posing as anyone but themselves, It's a done deal.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (5 children)

I just got a can of diet Coke in exchange for a 5-star review of a local eatery. I legit like the eatery, but would not have left a review without the bribe.

Is that a legit review or a fake one?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

IMHO, if they'd give you the Coke for any review, regardless of rating, that's fine. If they demand a 5-star rating for the Coke, then that's no good.

Your review might have been honest, but not everybody else's who just wanted the Coke will be.

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[–] MehBlah 8 points 2 months ago

What is going to happen? Will the FTC police gonna come and cart them away? No, it will continue and nothing will happen. FTC enforcement is just a few law suits away from being just like the SEC's enforcement. The SEC can't enforce anything these days without a long drawn out court battle.

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