The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a new set of rules covering reviews, and it may just have outlawed review-bombing in the process.
As per the FTC chair, the change aims to ban "fake online reviews and testimonials", with six final rules the Commission hopes will make users able to make a more informed decision based on peer feedback.
Most of the new FTC rules cover more 'traditional' cases of review manipulation, but it is the first ruling that should raise alarm in gaming circles.
Review-bombing may fall under "fake or false consumer reviews", potentially robbing players of an increasingly common method of leverage against studios and publishers.
The Rulings Explained
Review manipulation has been around for as long as review sites have existed. Sometimes, the company owner drops enthusiastic praise for their enterprise, and other times, it is saying how awful a competitor is. The six new FTC rules aim to distill reviews into authentic ones only.
The first and most important ruling for gaming covers "fake or false consumer reviews, consumer testimonials, and celebrity testimonials."
It outlaws reviews generated by "someone who does not exist, such as AI-generated fake reviews," but also covers people who...