Poland: Issued ruling in UOKiK investigation into SeoSem24 and Best-Review over misleading practices related to publishing fake opinions on products and services

On 30 July 2024, the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) issued its ruling regarding its investigation into SeoSem24 and Best-Review over their misleading practices related to publishing fake opinions on products and services. In particular, the UOKiK imposed fines totalling PLN 85’000 to SeoSem24 and Best-Review for publishing fake opinions on products and services. These fake reviews were posted on platforms such as Google Maps, Tripadvisor, and others, misleading consumers into believing they were genuine. The companies were found to have violated consumer protection laws by artificially boosting the reputation of businesses through false reviews. The fines imposed were PLN 35’000 for Best-Review and PLN 50’618 for SeoSem24, which also required disclosure of the decision on its website and social media.