Fake bloggers soon to be ‘named and shamed by Sam Coates The Times

[applegrove]

From The Times
February 10, 2007
Fake bloggers soon to be ‘named and shamed
Sam Coates, Political Correspondent

"Hotels, restaurants and online shops that post glowing reviews about themselves under false identities could face criminal prosecution under new rules that come into force next year.

Businesses which write fake blog entries or create whole wesbites purporting to be from customers will fall foul of a European directive banning them from “falsely representing oneself as a consumer”.

From December 31, when the change becomes law in the UK, they can be named and shamed by trading standards or taken to court.

The Times has learnt that the new regulations also will apply to authors who praise their own books under a fake identity on websites such as Amazon.

..........SNIP"

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1361968.ece

[DonkeyInChinaShop]

1. Mixed on this one

I can se how consumer fraud might fall under this law, but where are the man hours coming to do the police work and the prosecuting? I think going after tax invasion, embezzlement, and violations of the SEC variety (know it's Europe, but you get what I'm saying) would be a hundred times more valuable.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

3. So why not just get rid of all laws..

..except those concerning crimes you consider most important, like "tax invasion, embezzlement and violations of the SEC variety"?

As a reader of online reviews, I trust that they are written by consumers and not by the ocmpany itself, but I'm sure I've been fooled before. I fully support this..

[Joanne98]

2. They should just release the names and shame them..

We don't need anymore prisons...

[applegrove]

4. At least Europe seems to care about the consumer. At least they have that!

In the USA it seems the *WH thinks consumers are only there for their use and abuse.