Trustpilot, the renowned global online consumer review platform, has unveiled its latest Transparency Report, highlighting significant strides in maintaining trust between businesses and consumers during a year of unprecedented review activity on the platform.
In 2023, Trustpilot witnessed a remarkable increase in review activity, with a record-breaking 54 million reviews published worldwide—a 17% growth from 2022. Over one million businesses were reviewed, with 20% being reviewed for the first time, facilitating informed purchasing decisions for consumers.
Despite the surge in reviews, Trustpilot’s commitment to eliminating fake reviews has remained robust. In both 2023 and 2022, 6% of total reviews were removed, equating to 3.3 million and 2.6 million fake reviews respectively. The platform’s advanced automated detection systems played a pivotal role, identifying 82% of fake reviews in 2023, up from 68% in the previous year. This improvement is attributed to Trustpilot’s continuous investment in cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence to detect unusual patterns and anomalies, scrutinizing hundreds of data points to flag reviews that violate platform guidelines.
The active involvement of Trustpilot’s community of reviewers and businesses has been instrumental in preserving trust. Both groups are empowered to flag suspicious reviews for moderation, and a whistleblower feature allows confidential reporting of issues.
Anoop Joshi, Trustpilot’s Chief Trust Officer, emphasized the importance of combating fake reviews and protecting genuine ones through strategic investments in technology and specialized teams. He stated, “Our mission is to be the universal symbol of trust for businesses and consumers. In an era where misinformation is rampant, our efforts to maintain platform integrity are more crucial than ever.”
To further aid consumers in making informed decisions, Trustpilot implemented several measures in 2023. The platform issued nearly 7,000 public consumer warnings on company profiles of non-compliant businesses, more than doubling the number from the previous year. Additionally, 46,000 warnings were issued to businesses breaching guidelines. Trustpilot also pursued legal action against 10 businesses over the past two years, with all damages from successful cases donated to consumer rights organizations such as Citizens Advice in the UK.
In an effort to uphold review authenticity, Trustpilot took stringent actions against misuse, suspending or blocking access to 575,000 consumer accounts in 2023 for persistent guideline violations, including posting fake reviews and issuing threats to businesses.
Trustpilot’s 2023 Transparency Report underscores the platform’s unwavering dedication to fostering a trustworthy environment for both consumers and businesses, reinforcing its vision to be the definitive symbol of trust in the digital age.
