Is Your Review System FTC‑Compliant?
If your business collects online reviews, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) now holds you responsible for how those reviews are gathered and displayed.
Many popular reputation management tools still use questionable tactics—especially review gating—that can land your company on the wrong side of federal regulations.
Why This Matters
- The FTC’s Consumer Review Rule and Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews (2024) explicitly prohibit filtering or suppressing negative consumer feedback.
- In late 2025, the FTC warned ten companies for possible review‑gating violations, showing that enforcement is only getting tougher.
- Fines can reach $51,744 per violation in 2026.
So, even if you didn’t design the system yourself, using a non‑compliant review platform still puts your business at risk.
What Is Review Gating—and Why It’s a Problem
Review gating happens when a process asks happy customers to post public reviews while steering unhappy ones to private forms or internal surveys.
The result? A public image that looks falsely positive—something the FTC calls deceptive.
If your vendor offers a “pre‑screen” or “would you recommend us?” step before sending customers to Google or Facebook, you may already be gating reviews.
Risks of Using a Non‑Compliant System
- Legal Exposure – Civil penalties and FTC investigations.
- Platform Sanctions – Google and Yelp remove gated reviews once detected.
- Lost Trust – Customers value honest, balanced feedback; filtering damages credibility.
- Missed Reality Check – Negative reviews often reveal your best improvement opportunities.
How Ratings Builder Keeps You 100 % Compliant
At Ratings Builder, transparency isn’t an afterthought—it’s the foundation.
✅ No review gating — every customer gets an equal chance to share feedback publicly.
✅ FTC & Google‑policy compliant workflows built into every account.
✅ Automated alerts and documentation to prove your collection process is transparent.
✅ Ethical reputation growth based on real voices, not filtered surveys.
That means you can grow reviews confidently, knowing your system is sound.
Simple Checklist: Is Your Tool Safe?
| Ask Your Provider | If the Answer Is “Yes” | You’re at Risk |
|---|---|---|
|
Do you filter unhappy customers before public review links?
|
✅
|
⚠️
|
|
Do you show only positive ratings on your site?
|
✅
|
⚠️
|
|
Can all customers post freely without screening?
|
❌
|
⚠️
|
|
Do you follow FTC guidance?
|
❌
|
⚠️
|
If you spot any warning signs, it’s time to switch to Ratings Builder.
Conclusion
The FTC’s message is clear: honest reviews protect consumers and fair businesses alike.
Using outdated, gating‑based systems exposes your company to serious legal and reputational risk.
Choose Ratings Builder—the FTC‑compliant solution empowering businesses to grow with integrity, transparency, and peace of mind.
New FTC Review Rules - Is Your System Compliant
