Canada: Adopted Warning regarding Employee Online Review Transparency Requirement

On 18 January 2024, the Competition Bureau of Canada issued a warning reminding businesses to ensure transparency in online reviews posted by their employees. The Bureau states that, under the Competition Act, employees must disclose all connections they have with the business, product, or service they promote when posting reviews about their company or its competitors. This applies to all types of reviews, including testimonials on social media. The Bureau recommends that businesses train employees to properly disclose their business connection when posting reviews and establish a compliance program to prevent misleading reviews by employees. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in liability under the Competition Act.