Posted on 10/21/2024 9:38:05 PM PDT by Olog-hai
A federal rule banning fake online reviews is now in effect.
The Federal Trade Commission issued the rule in August banning the sale or purchase of online reviews. The rule, which went into effect Monday, allows the agency to seek civil penalties against those who knowingly violate it.
“Fake reviews not only waste people’s time and money, but also pollute the marketplace and divert business away from honest competitors,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said about the rule in August. She added that the rule will “protect Americans from getting cheated, put businesses that unlawfully game the system on notice, and promote markets that are fair, honest, and competitive.” …
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
AI and bots have 1st Amendment protection? If hate speech isn’t protected then neither should fraud.
Still trying to find where, in that pesky constitution thingie, that the fed was granted to power to regulate businesses and marketplaces...
Or advertising...
For that matter, where in the Constitution is the authority given for there to even be an FTC?
Such reviews were common pre-internet, and people just shrugged about it.
What about reviews in print media being published on a website, such as The New York Times?
Honestly, being paid for writing a review for something you did not ever use is not a free speech concern.
It is fraud.
The oft-tortured and heavily-pretzeled Commerce Clause.
Free Speech suits will no doubt arise from this as this is nothing but the government deciding without due process in court who is and who is not lying and making lying a crime.
Who gets to decide what is “fake”?
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