Showing customer reviews on client sites: the EU rules

[Reileen Kawahara]

Anyone building sites for small businesses in the EU: here's a reminder that's easy to miss when adding a testimonials or reviews block.

Since 28 May 2022 the Omnibus Directive requires traders who publish consumer reviews to state whether and how they check that those reviews come from real customers. Submitting or commissioning fake reviews is banned outright. So a short line near the widget explaining the verification process is worth adding, and quietly hiding genuine negative reviews is asking for trouble.

On the other side, clients with several Google, Trustpilot or Tripadvisor profiles often ask what they can report. NetClearer has a page describing what a routine of checks and reports looks like, and what EU law expects of the business itself.

How do you word the verification notice on your clients' sites?