Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission
There is EU legislation prohibiting the use of ‘fake reviews on websites’ and, in this connection, the Commission would like to refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Question P‑008065/2011(1).
It should be noted, in addition, that Directive 2005/29/EC on Unfair Commercial Practices(2) bans in all circumstances the practice of: ‘
Using editorial content in the media to promote a product where a trader has paid for the promotion without making that clear in the content or by images or sounds clearly identifiable by the consumer (advertorial)’(3).
