Questionable Business Practices at Trustpilot?
Hamburg - A study by the German Institute for Artificial Intelligence (DIKI) has highlighted shortcomings in the review platform Trustpilot, leading the Competition Centre to launch an investigation.
The Competition Centre claims that Trustpilot has been publishing misleading statements about the authenticity of reviews on the platform. This accusation is supported by a letter from DUP UNTERNEHMER, which also states that the Competition Centre is considering penalizing Trustpilot for potential violations of the law against unfair competition.
The allegations are based on a study conducted by DIKI in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Thomas Liebetruth from OTH Regensburg. The study, combined with an analysis by DUP UNTERNEHMER magazine, raises doubts about the credibility of Trustpilot. The main concerns are significant weaknesses in review content filtering, with direct implications for the digital reputation of small and medium-sized businesses.
In a supervised test, 79 participants submitted a total of 86 deliberately fake reviews to Trustpilot. The test aimed to assess Trustpilot's stated methods for verifying the authenticity of reviews. The results showed that 31 of the fake reviews were published, with only ten positive reviews remaining online, while 21 negative reviews were published. This imbalance significantly impacted the companies' TrustScores.
The study also points to a potential conflict of interest: Companies subscribing to Trustpilot's paid additional features, such as extended invitation options or analysis tools, can enhance their review profiles visibly. Internal testing by the DUP UNTERNEHMER editorial team demonstrated that targeted effects could be achieved by subscribing, calling Trustpilot's neutrality into question.
In response to the findings, the Competition Centre has requested a formal statement from Trustpilot, demanding clarification on how claims such as "Real reviews from real people" align with the platform's actual filtering performance. Trustpilot, as reported by Der Spiegel on 27 May, is looking into the allegations and is reportedly fully cooperating with the Competition Centre.
The study and the Competition Centre's action have rekindled the debate about the reliability of review platforms. For many companies, the issues extend beyond just their reputation, raising concerns about fairness in digital competition.
Press contact:DUP Media GmbHSchanzenstraße 7020357 HamburgEmail: [email protected]
Sources:DUP UNTERNEHMER-Magazin, transmitted via news aktuellOTS
Background information:
Under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act), the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK has been granted enhanced powers to address unfair practices related to fake reviews, including those on platforms like Trustpilot. The CMA, starting from around mid-2025, will have the authority to investigate and enforce against platforms publishing misleading reviews, failing to prevent fake reviews, or operating in a way that structurally conflicts with consumer interests.
Until active enforcement begins, the CMA is emphasizing compliance and education rather than immediate enforcement against platforms. If Trustpilot is found to be in violation of these rules in the future, the CMA may intervene with penalties or formal enforcement actions.
- The Competition Centre's investigation into Trustpilot, prompted by the study by DIKI and DUP UNTERNEHMER, highlights concerns about the authenticity of reviews that could impact the digital reputation of small and medium-sized businesses, especially in relation to finance and technology industries.
- The findings from the study conducted by DIKI and DUP UNTERNEHMER, combined with the Competition Centre's investigation, raise questions about Trustpilot's credibility, particularly in the context of business, technology, and the digital economy.
