Every day, businesses across the world invest years of hard work into building their reputation. Yet that reputation can be damaged within minutes by fake, malicious, or misleading online reviews.

While genuine customer feedback - both positive and negative is essential, there is currently too little accountability for those leaving low-rated reviews. Businesses are increasingly reporting reviews from people who have never visited, competitors, internet trolls, or individuals acting with malicious intent. These reviews can significantly affect customer trust, search rankings, and ultimately a business's livelihood.

Unlike many online transactions, Google currently does not routinely require any evidence that a reviewer has actually visited or purchased from the business before allowing a one, two or three-star review to be published.

We are not asking Google to remove negative reviews or silence genuine customer complaints. Honest criticism is vital and helps businesses improve. Instead, we are calling for stronger verification measures for low-rated reviews, such as requesting proof of purchase, a booking confirmation, location history (with the user's consent), or another reasonable form of evidence where appropriate.

Businesses deserve protection from fraudulent and malicious reviews, just as consumers deserve protection from dishonest businesses. A fairer verification process would increase trust in Google Reviews, improve confidence for consumers, and help ensure that business reputations are influenced by genuine customer experiences - not fake ones.

It's time for Google to make low-rated reviews more accountable while preserving the integrity of honest customer feedback.