No more online fake reviews.

For example, fake reviews are now legally prohibited. Paid advertising must also be clearer and the rules for sharing personal data have changed. The aim is: to inform consumers in a clear and honest way more clearly and honestly. Agreements were already made at European level in 2019, and are now. These agreements are to be introduced throughout Europe in the coming years. In the Netherlands, these new (European) rules came into force on May 28, 2022. This blog post aims to explain what the new rules involve. What do the new rules involve? Read about it in this blog.

Fake reviews
Consumer reviews are now an integral part of the internet. Before you go to a restaurant, you  check the reviews first. Before you buy a certain vacuum cleaner, you read what other people thought of it. Unfortunately, there are also many fake reviews. With these new rules, traders must now check the authenticity of reviews before they can be posted on the website as a recommendation. So posting fake reviews is now legally prohibited. In order to achieve this, traders must inform consumers the extent to which they are checking the validity of the reviews, and whether they come from individuals who have actually purchased the product. This can be a relatively time consuming and administrative task for traders. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) will monitor this for The Netherlands going forward.

Advertising
In addition, the buyer must ensure that they are informing the consumers about what advertising is being used. The consumer must know whether he/she – for example by using algorithms – receives a personalized offer. If a trader pays for advertising, this must also be indicated in the search results.

Social media
Social media and other “free” digital services must also change their approach. Usually, you can only use them if you leave your personal data behind. Many consumers do not know that they are entering into a contract with the provider. From now on, providers must better inform consumers about this contract and how it can be terminated. If you decide to terminate your contract, you must be able to request your personal data back, meaning that the provider may no longer use it.