I was just chatting with our VP of CX, and he mentioned a client was seriously considering gating reviews: only promoting happy customers to leave public feedback while directing the unsatisfied ones to an internal form. That conversation lit a spark: I realized this needs airing out. So here’s why review-gating can spectacularly backfire; even if you’re operating outside the U.S.
There are serious ethical concerns: you’re effectively silencing unhappy voices. Then there are the platform rules – think Google, Meta, BBB – that frown on manipulation. And if that doesn’t give you pause, rest assured: regulators around the world are closing in.
TL;DR: There’s simply no safe harbor for dodgy review tactics anymore.
What is review‑gating? Here’s the 101
Basically: showcase the praise, bury the criticism.
But guess what? The U.S. FTC labels it “deceptive review suppression.” Fashion Nova learned that the hard way—they were fined US $4.2 million and later compensated nearly $2.4 million to affected customers after suppressing reviews below 4 stars (Federal Trade Commission).
Why brands still gate:
- That sweet 4.5-star average.
- Legacy email workflows make it easy to segment “promoters” and “detractors.”
- Some vendors unashamedly list gating as a feature. As an industry, we all should really do better and I firmly believe it’s our responsibility to make sure our platforms enable compliance out of the box.
Why consumers hate it
People aren’t fools. They know when something looks sus with those perfect 5 stars and the lack of blemishes on the business.
- Although 71% of consumers won’t trust a business under 3 stars, they look for a mix of positive and negative reviews to know it’s real by sorting by most recent and then most critical. The absence of critical reviews causes them to click away and not consider the business.
- You risk having the scheme exposed on social media where it’s out for all to see, and you can deal with a big public relations headache.
- It wastes their time and creates cognitive overload from having to discern truth from fraud. The World Economic Forum estimates bogus reviews cost shoppers US $152 billion globally.
Not selling in America is not the exception you think it is
Even if you don’t operate stateside, review-gating is a global compliance trap and can decimate a business. Consumers around the world have pushed their local governments to regulate deceptive business practices. Here’s just a highlight of some countries and regions that have regulations in place:
| Region | Law & Enforcer | Max Penalty |
| EU | UCPD & Omnibus Directive (2022) | ≥ 4% of annual turnover per Member State |
| UK | Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Apr 2025) | Up to 10% of global turnover + 5% daily under breach |
| Canada | Competition Act (2024) | CAD $10 M or 3% of global revenue (first offence) |
| Australia | Australian Consumer Law (ACCC) | AUS $50 M or 3× benefit or 30% turnover |
| New Zealand | Fair Trading Act (1986) | NZ $600 K per offence |
| Singapore | Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (2003) | S $15 K+ per case + possible jail plus rising admin fines |
Note: These fines often stack with injunctions, compensation, and serious brand damage.
Still not frosty at the thought?
How to stay legit & build trust
Here’s the smart play:
- Invite every customer, every time.
- Publish all verified reviews; spotlight themes like “fantastic service.”
- Publicly respond to negatives within 24 hours—offer offline fixes but keep the saga visible. It’s table stakes customer service.
- Watch your review patterns for suspicious activity or sudden rating swings. Or use a service like GatherUp’s Fake Review Defense that can automatically detect and escalate suspicious reviews for your clients and their competitors to keep the playing field compliant and fair.
Allowing real unfiltered voices to give their honest thoughts on your business builds a kind of trust that no star-padding can replicate. Review-gating may give you temporary shine, but long-term credibility and legal safety come from transparency. No matter where you operate, regulators and platforms are rewriting the rules.
Ready to get real and stay compliant? Book a GatherUp demo and let us do the heavy lifting for you.
