The German Federal Cartel Office has launched a sector inquiry into user ratings on the
Internet. Research and media reports repeatedly point out that user ratings on the Internet are not authentic in many cases, for example because they were generated by a computer or because the rater received a service in return without this being made transparent. (see this judgment). If consumers are misled into making incorrect business
decisions based on non-authentic reviews, this may constitute a breach of consumer law.
In the coming months, the Bundeskartellamt will question numerous operators of Internet portals that display user ratings and/or offer services on user ratings, both verbally and in writing. Once the investigation is complete, the results will be presented to the public in a report.
The Bundeskartellamt can conduct investigations in the area of consumer protection and thus identify any infringements and possible deficits in law enforcement. However, this does not yet include the authority to remedy any infringements of the law that are discovered by means of an official order. The sector inquiry into user ratings is already the Bundeskartellamt’s third sector inquiry in the area of consumer protection following the already completed inquiry into comparison portals and the ongoing inquiry into smart TVs.
