Contributed content about local businesses plays a crucial role in helping people find the most current information — whether they’re searching for a late-night grocery store on Maps or browsing reviews for a new neighborhood bakery on Search. In 2023, we received approximately 20 million contributions daily on Maps and Search, encompassing updates to business hours, ratings, photos, reviews, videos, and more. To ensure the accuracy of this information in a rapidly changing world, we utilize a combination of technology, skilled operators, and regular collaboration with the broader industry to combat malicious activities.
Here’s how we have enhanced our systems to more effectively identify and remove fake reviews, and how we utilized these advancements to thwart a widespread internet scam. Additionally, we’re highlighting the progress made in 2023 to maintain the value of contributed content for everyone.
A new machine learning algorithm aids in faster detection of fake reviews
Reviews undergo thorough scrutiny by our moderation systems before publication, and our systems remain vigilant over time for any suspicious activity. Last year, we introduced a new machine learning algorithm that swiftly detects questionable review patterns. It achieves this by analyzing longer-term signals on a daily basis, such as a reviewer posting the same review on multiple businesses or a sudden increase in 1 or 5-star reviews for a business. In 2023, this new algorithm helped us remove 45% more fake reviews compared to the previous year.
The impact of the new algorithm in halting scams
This update is designed to identify both isolated instances and broader attack patterns. For instance, a group of scammers falsely promised to provide individuals with high-paying online tasks for a fee, such as writing fake reviews or clicking ads across the internet. Our new algorithm swiftly identified this surge in suspicious reviews by continuously analyzing patterns, including previous reviews by the account on other targeted features.
Subsequently, our team investigated reports from merchants who experienced a surge in fake 5-star reviews, and collaborated with individuals who had been in contact with the scammers on other platforms. Once we identified patterns, such as targeted business categories, we refined our algorithms to safeguard hundreds of targeted businesses from these deceptive activities.
In just a few weeks, we foiled over five million fake review attempts related to this scam. To prevent its impact on others, we promptly disabled the malicious accounts linked to the scam and implemented protective measures for hundreds of businesses. Additionally, we provided tips to help users recognize scams and stay informed. Our rapid detection and action allowed us to address this issue and protect our community.
Our 2023 progress
In 2023, we made significant advances in combating fake content through our upgraded technology and expertise. Here are some key initiatives taken last year to protect local business reviews on Google Maps and Search.
- Thanks to our evolving machine learning algorithms, we blocked or removed over 170 million policy-violating reviews this year — an increase of over 45% from 2022. Additionally, more than 12 million fake business profiles were removed or blocked.
- Improvements to video moderation algorithms, such as detecting fake overlaid phone numbers, enabled us to detect 14 million policy-violating videos in 2023 — 7 million more than the previous year.
- Our systems thwarted over 2 million attempts by bad actors trying to claim Business Profiles that didn’t belong to them — a surge of over 1 million from 2022. Furthermore, temporary protections were applied to more than 123,000 businesses following the detection of suspicious activity and abuse attempts.
Legal action and collaboration with the broader industry are integral to our strategy for combating deceptive content.
- In 2023, we filed a lawsuit against a malicious actor who had been posting fake reviews on Google Maps and engaging in fraudulent activities affecting small businesses.
- As part of our ongoing industry collaboration, we shared expertise during the FTC’s advanced notice period for combating deceptive content on the internet, and participated in the proposed rulemaking discussions as a member of the Computer & Communications Industry Association.
Reliable information is crucial for helping people explore the world, and we recognize that deceptive content undermines that trust. We are dedicated to combating fake reviews while continuing our collaboration with regulators and the broader industry on this critical issue.
