Online reviews have undeniably become a powerful force in the modern economy. For many entrepreneurs, they mark the difference between success and failure. But that influence also brings vulnerability. It’s not only companies that manipulate ratings, consumers too are increasingly placing fake reviews, with serious consequences for business owners.
Consumer power: blessing or liability?
A recent article on NOS.nl highlighted stories from several entrepreneurs suffering from unjust, and sometimes even malicious, online reviews. Among them is Femke van der Sluijs, manager of the snack chain Frietboutique, who faced intimidation via online platforms, including the posting of photos of staff members. Similarly, Jaap Venniker, a garage owner from Beverwijk, saw his Google rating plummet due to a coordinated wave of negative feedback. The reviews were not about his services, but targeted him personally because of his involvement in a local environmental initiative.
The impact has been severe. “I didn’t feel taken seriously, even though those reviews directly affect your livelihood. I lost sleep over it for several nights,” Venniker told NOS.
Reviews as blackmail tactics
The trend is confirmed by Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN), the Dutch trade association for the hospitality industry. They report that some consumers are deliberately posting negative reviews to pressure businesses into offering compensation or free services.
“Many entrepreneurs feel powerless and receive little to no support from the platforms,” says KHN. Although the organization is in discussions with several major players, they note that actual action is still lacking even in cases of clear abuse.
New legislation: rules against fake reviews
As of May 2022, it is illegal in the Netherlands to post or commission fake reviews. According to consumer program Radar (AVROTROS), businesses are prohibited from offering rewards for positive reviews unless clearly disclosed. Platforms and sellers are also required to verify whether a review truly originates from a customer.
The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) enforces these rules and can issue fines of up to €900,000 per violation. In their own words: “Consumers must be able to trust online information.”
How are platforms responding?
Some review platforms have already taken action. Booking.com no longer allows anonymous reviews and states that only verified guests can leave a rating. Expedia applies similar standards, only travelers who have booked through their platform are permitted to write a review. Google reports that it performs ongoing checks for fraudulent content. These efforts include removing inappropriate or misleading reviews and suspending offending user accounts. Yet entrepreneurs find these measures often fall short in practice. Reports are processed slowly, if at all, and there’s a lack of effective mechanisms to challenge abuse swiftly.
The need for awareness and action
Online reviews are a blessing for transparency and consumer awareness—but they also carry risks. Business owners would benefit from a better balance between consumer power and protection against misuse. That calls not only for stricter enforcement by platforms and regulators, but also for greater awareness and responsibility among consumers themselves.
As one man who gave a one-star review over a disappointing carpaccio sandwich put it: “If I don’t get a free coffee, I leave one star. Their fault.” Statements like that make painfully clear that the online review landscape is also in dire need of ethical reflection.
