Google Maps is addressing the issue of business pages engaging in fake reviews and is now highlighting such activities to users. The company will impose restrictions on business profiles that violate its Fake Engagement policy. These restrictions include temporarily removing reviews, blocking new reviews or ratings, and displaying a warning message on profiles where fake reviews have been deleted.

According to Google’s prohibited and restricted content policy, contributions to Maps should reflect genuine experiences at places or businesses. Business pages are prohibited from displaying content that does not accurately represent the location or product, or that has been incentivized by payment, discounts, or freebies. Google Maps will also identify reviews that attempt to manipulate ratings by posting from multiple accounts or utilizing emulators, modified operating systems, or other methods that mimic genuine engagement.

It remains uncertain how Google will precisely determine which reviews violate these rules. However, the possibility of being publicly shamed may discourage some businesses from attempting to inflate their ratings artificially. Additionally, the warning messages can help users avoid places deemed untrustworthy by Google, rather than having suspicious reviews merely disappear without explanation.

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