Trustpilot removed 3.3 million fake reviews in 2023, amid record rise in total reviews

Trustpilot, the global consumer review platform, has released its latest Transparency Report, highlighting ongoing efforts to maintain trust between businesses and consumers.

The report comes in a year marked by a record 54 million reviews published on the platform, representing a 17% increase from 2022.

In 2023, Trustpilot removed 3.3 million fake reviews, consistent with last year’s removal rate of 6%, despite the increase in total reviews. The majority of these fake reviews, 82%, were detected by Trustpilot’s advanced automated detection technology, up from 68% in 2022. This progress is attributed to Trustpilot’s continued investments in AI and other technologies designed to detect unusual behavior patterns and anomalies identify hundreds of data points to ensure the authenticity of reviews.

Trustpilot’s active community of reviewers and companies play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the platform. Both parties can flag suspicious reviews for review by moderators, and a whistleblower feature is available for confidentially reporting concerns.

Anoop Joshi, Chief Trust Officer of Trustpilot, emphasized the importance of these efforts: “It is essential that we continue to proactively combat fake reviews and defend genuine reviews by investing in our bespoke technology and specialist teams. Our vision is to be the universal symbol of trust for businesses and consumers alike, and in a world where misinformation is rife, that has never been more important.”

In addition to technological measures, Trustpilot has expanded its consumer protection actions. The platform issued nearly 7,000 public warnings on company profiles for violating guidelines, more than doubling from the previous year, and issued 46,000 warnings to companies. In addition, Trustpilot has taken legal action against ten companies in the past two years, donating all damages from successful cases to consumer rights charities such as Citizens Advice in the UK.

The platform also showed zero tolerance for abuse by reviewers, suspending or blocking access to 575,000 consumer accounts in 2023 for repeatedly violating guidelines, including posting fake reviews or threatening businesses.

Trustpilot’s proactive actions in 2023 underline its commitment to providing a trustworthy environment for both consumers and businesses, helping users make informed decisions based on trusted reviews.