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# Fake Review Growth, AI Darkside, 'Kiss of Death'
- URL: https://www.nearmedia.co/fake-review-growth-ai-darkside-kiss-of-death/
- Published: 2023-03-31T20:21:55.000Z
- Updated: 2023-03-31T20:25:16.000Z
- Author: Greg Sterling
- Tags: News

### Google: 20% More Fake Reviews in 2022

Earlier this week we [discussed](https://www.nearmedia.co/positive-review-attack-data-privacy-paradox-ai-eschatology/) how review attacks are becoming more creative. Jason Brown is documenting many of these cases, including how hotels are now [being spammed](https://reviewfraud.org/hotels-being-spammed-with-fake-positive-reviews/?ref=nearmedia.co) with fake (mildly) positive reviews. Despite AI and machine learning, online fraud is getting worse. Google recently [documented](https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/our-2022-ads-safety-report/?ref=nearmedia.co) how ad scams are increasing. And Amazon [is going after](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/policy-news-views/amazon-targets-multiple-bad-actors-in-novel-lawsuit-further-protecting-selling-partners-from-fraud?ref=nearmedia.co) the esoteric but growing problem of competitive copyright fraud. In another [blog post](https://blog.google/products/maps/google-maps-fake-contributions-ai-machine-learning/?ref=nearmedia.co), Google discusses its local spam fighting over the past year. In 2022, the company says it "blocked or removed over 115 million policy-violating reviews ... and took down over 20% more fake reviews than we did in 2021." Google says, most of this happens before fake reviews are ever seen. Google also reports it "stopped 20 million attempts to create fake Business Profiles, which is 8 million more than in 2021." And it "blocked or removed over 200 million photos and 7 million videos that were blurry, low quality, or violated our content policies."

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-31-at-11.32.50-AM.png)

Source: Hormel

**Our take:** 

- In 2022, Google [significantly stepped up review fraud enforcement](https://www.nearmedia.co/a-guide-to-googles-review-filter/), to its credit, but also probably because of EU's DSA.
- It's still [tough to get fake reviews removed](https://www.nearmedia.co/how-to-fight-a-fake-google-review-attack/) in individual cases or [restored](https://www.nearmedia.co/the-google-business-profile-forum-shows-how-google-externalizes-costs/) when legitimate reviews are incorrectly disappeared.
- We envision continued improvements in Google spam fighting. But large-scale fraud will persist, which ChatGPT could potentially exacerbate.

### Power of AI's Darkside

In a surprise move, Italy temporarily [banned](https://www.gpdp.it/web/guest/home/docweb/-/docweb-display/docweb/9870847?ref=nearmedia.co#english) ChatGPT due to privacy concerns. It's the first country to do so and opens the door for others. This comes after an Elon Musk-led group [called for](https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/?ref=nearmedia.co) a six month moratorium on AI development. And the Center for AI and Digital Policy just [filed an FTC complaint](https://www.caidp.org/cases/openai/?ref=nearmedia.co) against OpenAI citing dangers such as bias, consumer deception and public safety. As if to concretely illustrate those concerns, a new "uncensored" chatbot called FreedomGPT has appeared. Built on open source AI from Stanford, it "praised Hitler," advocated death for homeless people, claimed the 2020 election was rigged, used the "n-word" and served up bomb-making instructions, according to [BuzzFeed](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/pranavdixit/freedomgpt-ai-chatbot-test?ref=nearmedia.co). Speaking of which, the publisher is now [significantly ramping up AI content](https://futurism.com/buzzfeed-publishing-articles-by-ai?ref=nearmedia.co) itself. The results are apparently lazy, bland and cynically designed for ranking. Separately, [photorealistic fake images](https://apnews.com/article/ai-misinformation-trump-putin-new-york-42ac9c41c5504d05412b492e48bcaded??ref=nearmedia.co) of public figures (e.g., [Trump](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65069316?ref=nearmedia.co), [Pope](https://twitter.com/hankgreen/status/1639982679113490433?ref=nearmedia.co), [Putin](https://www.facebook.com/SunNews2022/posts/751893783167712/)) and [events](https://twitter.com/venturetwins/status/1640038880325009408?ref=nearmedia.co) widely circulated this week, [causing](https://www.engadget.com/midjourney-ends-free-trials-of-its-ai-image-generator-due-to-extraordinary-abuse-153853905.html?ref=nearmedia.co) Midjouney to end its free service. This is a glimpse into the internet's potential future. 

**Our take:** 

- Early surveys about AI and its impact were [positive](https://www.nearmedia.co/chatgpt-survey-email-rules-spot-runners-smb-dream/) or [mixed](https://www.nearmedia.co/gowalla-comeback-ai-ambivelance-digital-twin-shopping/). But a new survey (n=28K) from DISQO shows much [more public apprehension](√).
- Some discussion around AI is alarmist, even hysterical. But there are very real dangers that need to be addressed at a policy and regulatory level.
- One immediate step would be prominent content labeling and disclosures. We don't want to kill AI but steer it and prevent abuse.

### Amazon's 'Kiss of Death'

Somewhere between 50% and 74% of product searches start on Amazon. The company's [e-commerce share](https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2022/amazons-share-of-us-ecommerce-sales-hits-all-time-high-of-56-7-in-2021/?ref=nearmedia.co) is dominant and Prime members [are incredibly loyal](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1251860/amazon-prime-retention-rates/?ref=nearmedia.co). Yet the user experience continues to deteriorate: more [ads](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2022/amazon-shopping-ads/?ref=nearmedia.co), more [fake reviews](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/06/amazon-reviews-thousands-are-fake-heres-how-to-spot-them.html?ref=nearmedia.co) and scams, more [low quality products](https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-has-ceded-control-of-its-site-the-result-thousands-of-banned-unsafe-or-mislabeled-products-11566564990?ref=nearmedia.co). I no longer start product searches there and no longer read Amazon reviews. I identify products elsewhere and sometimes buy them on Amazon. Lots of products purchased on Amazon (and other sites) are returned. E-commerce returns are [as high as 30%](https://www.invespcro.com/blog/ecommerce-product-return-rate-statistics/?ref=nearmedia.co), while offline returns are below 10%. Accordingly, Amazon is starting to put [a prominent "frequently returned" label](https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/28/23659868/amazon-returns-warning-product-reviews-tag-feature?ref=nearmedia.co) on products that see high return rates. This is designed to get customers to look more closely and think twice before buying them. These labels are effectively a proxy for deception or poor quality. Any product bearing one of these labels will likely see its sales drop precipitously. It's effectively a kiss of death. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-31-at-1.03.06-PM.png)

Source: The Verge

**Our take:** 

- Platforms like Amazon have lots of tools to identify bad actors and steer consumers away from them. Yelp's [consumer alerts](https://trust.yelp.com/consumer-alerts/?ref=nearmedia.co) also come to mind.
- Amazon is a victim of its own success. Spam, fraudsters and ad clutter are degrading the CX and eventually will diminish the brand if it doesn't take more aggressive action on multiple fronts.
- Trust, quality and CX will loom larger for all brands – especially in the AI era of machine-generated content and customer service.

## Recent Analysis

- **Breaking the Google Habit**, [by Greg Sterling](https://www.nearmedia.co/breaking-the-google-habit/)
- ****Local Search Ranking Factors 2023**, [by Greg Sterling](https://www.nearmedia.co/local-search-ranking-factors-23/)

## Short Takes

- Case study: **GMB attributes** [can impact local rankings](https://www.sterlingsky.ca/do-google-my-business-identity-attributes-impact-ranking/?ref=nearmedia.co).
- Google [core update](https://www.amsivedigital.com/insights/seo/googles-march-2023-core-update-winners-losers-analysis/?ref=nearmedia.co): **Amazon** a big winner, **Yelp** a loser.
- **Google** [tests opening GBP](https://twitter.com/colannielsen/status/1641759932885114881??ref=nearmedia.co) in right panel not Local Finder.
- **NMX**: Google [tests "copy menu" feature](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profiles-copy-menu-feature-35137.html?ref=nearmedia.co) for restaurants.
- **Google** announces new [Ad Transparency Center](https://blog.google/technology/ads/announcing-the-launch-of-the-new-ads-transparency-center/?ref=nearmedia.co).
- **Search industry salaries** report offers [useful benchmarking](https://searchengineland.com/search-marketer-salary-career-guide-2023-394881?ref=nearmedia.co).
- **Twitter** Blue: [celebrities](https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-blue-check-marks-2a9fbe4ea805763f50d4de2c417ce4ff?ref=nearmedia.co) and [publishers](https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/1641460482480504832?ref=nearmedia.co) won't pay for [verification](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1641596848921276417?ref=nearmedia.co).
- **Twitter** to give [free Blue verification](https://searchengineland.com/twitter-could-grant-free-verification-to-its-top-500-advertisers-and-10k-most-followed-organizations-395106?ref=nearmedia.co) to top 500 advertisers.
- **T2**, from former Twitter employees, [seeks a better Twitter](https://www.engadget.com/a-new-twitter-alternative-is-trying-to-lure-users-about-to-lose-their-old-checkmark-160011153.html?ref=nearmedia.co).
- Google CEO Pichai [promises](https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/31/23664426/google-bard-ai-chatbot-upgrades-coming-soon-sundar-pichai?ref=nearmedia.co) **Bard** upgrades soon.
- **Snap** [offers AR tools to retailers](https://www.retaildive.com/news/snap-augmented-reality-tech-tools-business/645924/?ref=nearmedia.co) for use in their own apps.
- Convenient/creepy: [Panera rolls out](https://www.npr.org/2023/03/28/1166213758/amazon-one-panera-palm-scanner-privacy?ref=nearmedia.co) **Amazon's palm-scan** payments.
- GenZ [embracing](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/29/dumb-phones-are-on-the-rise-in-the-us-as-gen-z-limits-screen-time.html?ref=nearmedia.co) "**dumb phones**" to limit screen time.
- Real-world **customer service** [should be a local ranking factor](https://twitter.com/ColanNielsen/status/1641040857880035329??ref=nearmedia.co).

Listen to our [latest podcast](https://www.nearmedia.co/memo/).

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