Fake review rules: FTC and UK DMCC Act for beauty brands

What does the FTC rule ban in the US?

The FTC’s Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials came into force on 21 October 2024. In short, it bans:

• Fake reviews and testimonials, including ones written by AI or by people who never used the product.
• Buying or selling reviews, and paying or rewarding people for reviews that must be positive (or negative about a competitor).
• Insider reviews from staff or their families without clear disclosure.
• Review suppression: using threats to stop bad reviews, or hiding negative reviews while implying you show them all.
• Fake “independent” review sites that you secretly control.

The rule lets the FTC seek civil penalties for each violation, so this isn’t just a warning letter anymore.

What changed in the UK with the DMCC Act?

From 6 April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act added fake reviews to the list of practices that are always unfair. That covers submitting or commissioning fake reviews, hiding that a review was incentivised, and publishing reviews in a misleading way. The CMA can now fine businesses directly, up to 10% of global turnover, and it has said reviews are a focus. Its guidance (CMA208) explains what businesses must do.

What are the rules in the EU?

Since the Omnibus Directive applied in May 2022, it has been banned to claim reviews come from real customers without taking reasonable steps to check, and to submit or commission fake reviews. Many shops now only let verified buyers review, and explain how they check reviews.

The quick checklist

Can I edit customer reviews?

You can fix things that don’t change meaning, like removing personal data or offensive words, if your policy says you do. Don’t add words, make a review sound more positive, or move a review from one product to another. If a short review isn’t useful, the honest fix is to ask that customer for more detail.

How do I get more good reviews the honest way?

• Ask at the right time: after the customer has used the product long enough to see results.
• Make it easy: one click from the email to the review form, on mobile.
• Ask useful questions: skin type, how long they used it, what changed. Detailed reviews help the next shopper and AI tools.
• Reply to every negative review: a calm, helpful reply often wins more trust than a perfect score.
• Ask past customers too: many happy customers never thought to leave a review.

How we’d approach this at Cliktron

• Audit: check your review app settings, email requests and any incentives.
• Fix: show all reviews, disclose incentives, and label staff or gifted reviews.
• Grow: a review request flow timed to results, with questions about skin type and time used.
• Use: put real reviews beside the product name and in ads, word for word.

Your next step

Common mistakes

• Offering a discount only to customers who leave five stars.
• Asking friends, staff or creators to post reviews without disclosure.
• Hiding or deleting low ratings.
• Rewriting short reviews to make them sound better.
• Using reviews from one product on another.