- Oct 27, 2005
- 83,465
- 22,293
This announcement explains changes to services related to fake reviews on BlackHat World®.
Important Update: Changes to Review‑Related Services on BlackHat World®
Hi everyone,
We’re posting this announcement to explain an important change to what can and cannot be offered on BlackHat World®, particularly regarding review‑related services (e.g., Trustpilot, Amazon, Google reviews).
This update affects both the Marketplace and, to a lesser extent, forum discussions, so please read carefully.
Why we’re making this change
Following recent legal advice and a review of updated UK consumer protection legislation, we’ve confirmed that services which involve fake or undisclosed incentivised consumer reviews cannot be hosted on our platform.
This applies even when:
• BlackHat World® is acting only as a marketplace or publisher
• The service provider is based outside the UK
As the platform operator, we are legally required to act once we become aware of such content.
To ensure platform compliance and long‑term stability, we are updating our rules and enforcement approach.
What is being removed
Effective immediately, we are removing Marketplace listings and paid promotions that involve:
• Fake reviews
• Commissioned reviews presented as genuine
• Reviews that conceal incentivisation (e.g. discounts, refunds, gifts in exchange for positive reviews)
• Services explicitly offering “Trustpilot fake reviews”, “Amazon fake reviews”, “5‑star fake reviews”, etc., where those reviews are not genuinely earned
This includes:
• Marketplace listings
• Paid advertisements and banners
• Stickied threads promoting such services
Affected sellers will be contacted directly, and prorata refunds will be issued where applicable.
What is still allowed
These changes do NOT mean that all review‑related activity is banned.
The following remain acceptable, provided they are clearly and honestly represented:
✓ Online Reputation Management (ORM)
✓ Outreach to real, existing customers for genuine feedback
✓ Review management tools or software
✓ Reputation strategy services
✓ Processes inline with review service terms.
✓ Customer follow‑up systems encouraging honest reviews
The key test is simple:
If a review is genuine and not misleading, it may be allowed.
If it is fake or disguises incentivisation, it is not.
Forum discussions vs Marketplace listings
There is an important distinction between selling services and general discussion.
• Marketplace listings and advertising for fake review services are not permitted
• General discussion about reviews, reputation, or ORM may be allowed depending on context and wording
What is not allowed:
• Threads asking how to buy fake reviews
• Threads seeking suppliers for fake or undisclosed incentivised reviews
• Content that facilitates or promotes unlawful activity
What may be allowed:
• High‑level discussion about reputation management
• Talking about the role of reviews in marketing
• Asking how to increase genuine customer feedback
Moderation in this area will be context‑based, and we’ll err on the side of caution.
Why we can’t make exceptions
Some users have asked why competitors appear to allow this, or why similar content existed in the past.
The reality is:
• The legal landscape has changed (1).
• Enforcement risk has increased
• Once a platform has knowledge of unlawful content, it must act
Continuing to allow these services would expose the platform — and by extension the community — to unnecessary legal risk.
This decision was made to protect BlackHat World® and ensure we can continue to operate long‑term.
What happens next
• Affected Marketplace listings are being removed
• Sellers will receive direct communication from the team
• Refunds will be issued where appropriate
• Updated guidance will be applied consistently going forward
• In the upcoming weeks, our Marketplace team will actively review all review related services' sales copies. If your sales copy breaks the law and an action is taken against your sales thread, you will be notified. If your sales copy does not, you can continue selling your service.
If you are unsure whether a service or thread is compliant, ask before posting or contact support.
If you see any threads we’ve missed, please hit the report button and we’ll review the content.
Final note
BlackHat World® has always evolved alongside changes in regulation, platforms, and enforcement.
This is another example of us adapting to ensure the community can continue to operate safely and sustainably.
Discussion thread available here - As this is a law, it's not something we can change, but I appreciate that we may want to have our say. Reminder, nothing political, no matter how frustrating this may be.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
— The BlackHat World® Team
This content is AI‑generated from meeting notes and legal discussions but manually reviewed and edited for accuracy.
Source:
(1)
13. Submitting, or commissioning another person to submit or write—
(a)a fake consumer review, or
(b)a consumer review that conceals the fact it has been incentivised.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/schedule/20/paragraph/13
Important Update: Changes to Review‑Related Services on BlackHat World®
Hi everyone,
We’re posting this announcement to explain an important change to what can and cannot be offered on BlackHat World®, particularly regarding review‑related services (e.g., Trustpilot, Amazon, Google reviews).
This update affects both the Marketplace and, to a lesser extent, forum discussions, so please read carefully.
Why we’re making this change
Following recent legal advice and a review of updated UK consumer protection legislation, we’ve confirmed that services which involve fake or undisclosed incentivised consumer reviews cannot be hosted on our platform.
This applies even when:
• BlackHat World® is acting only as a marketplace or publisher
• The service provider is based outside the UK
As the platform operator, we are legally required to act once we become aware of such content.
To ensure platform compliance and long‑term stability, we are updating our rules and enforcement approach.
What is being removed
Effective immediately, we are removing Marketplace listings and paid promotions that involve:
• Fake reviews
• Commissioned reviews presented as genuine
• Reviews that conceal incentivisation (e.g. discounts, refunds, gifts in exchange for positive reviews)
• Services explicitly offering “Trustpilot fake reviews”, “Amazon fake reviews”, “5‑star fake reviews”, etc., where those reviews are not genuinely earned
This includes:
• Marketplace listings
• Paid advertisements and banners
• Stickied threads promoting such services
Affected sellers will be contacted directly, and prorata refunds will be issued where applicable.
What is still allowed
These changes do NOT mean that all review‑related activity is banned.
The following remain acceptable, provided they are clearly and honestly represented:
✓ Online Reputation Management (ORM)
✓ Outreach to real, existing customers for genuine feedback
✓ Review management tools or software
✓ Reputation strategy services
✓ Processes inline with review service terms.
✓ Customer follow‑up systems encouraging honest reviews
The key test is simple:
If a review is genuine and not misleading, it may be allowed.
If it is fake or disguises incentivisation, it is not.
Forum discussions vs Marketplace listings
There is an important distinction between selling services and general discussion.
• Marketplace listings and advertising for fake review services are not permitted
• General discussion about reviews, reputation, or ORM may be allowed depending on context and wording
What is not allowed:
• Threads asking how to buy fake reviews
• Threads seeking suppliers for fake or undisclosed incentivised reviews
• Content that facilitates or promotes unlawful activity
What may be allowed:
• High‑level discussion about reputation management
• Talking about the role of reviews in marketing
• Asking how to increase genuine customer feedback
Moderation in this area will be context‑based, and we’ll err on the side of caution.
Why we can’t make exceptions
Some users have asked why competitors appear to allow this, or why similar content existed in the past.
The reality is:
• The legal landscape has changed (1).
• Enforcement risk has increased
• Once a platform has knowledge of unlawful content, it must act
Continuing to allow these services would expose the platform — and by extension the community — to unnecessary legal risk.
This decision was made to protect BlackHat World® and ensure we can continue to operate long‑term.
What happens next
• Affected Marketplace listings are being removed
• Sellers will receive direct communication from the team
• Refunds will be issued where appropriate
• Updated guidance will be applied consistently going forward
• In the upcoming weeks, our Marketplace team will actively review all review related services' sales copies. If your sales copy breaks the law and an action is taken against your sales thread, you will be notified. If your sales copy does not, you can continue selling your service.
If you are unsure whether a service or thread is compliant, ask before posting or contact support.
If you see any threads we’ve missed, please hit the report button and we’ll review the content.
Final note
BlackHat World® has always evolved alongside changes in regulation, platforms, and enforcement.
This is another example of us adapting to ensure the community can continue to operate safely and sustainably.
Discussion thread available here - As this is a law, it's not something we can change, but I appreciate that we may want to have our say. Reminder, nothing political, no matter how frustrating this may be.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
— The BlackHat World® Team
This content is AI‑generated from meeting notes and legal discussions but manually reviewed and edited for accuracy.
Source:
(1)
13. Submitting, or commissioning another person to submit or write—
(a)a fake consumer review, or
(b)a consumer review that conceals the fact it has been incentivised.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/schedule/20/paragraph/13
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