Google Play Store Introduces a New Method for Filtering Out Fraudulent Ratings and Reviews

Google is delaying Play Store review submissions for 24 hours.

What you should know Google's Play Store is getting a new app review procedure. The new policy will cause fresh reviews to be published up to 24 hours after they are filed. With the new move, Google hopes to deter fraudulent reviews and ratings. Google aims to make app ratings and reviews on the Play Store as authentic as possible, thus it has implemented a new policy that delays the publication of reviews and ratings.

The most recent modification will delay the publication of user-submitted reviews and ratings for approximately 24 hours, provided they are from real individuals. Google's new policy is intended to detect suspicious ratings and reviews on Android apps.

"We are adding a delay of about 24 hours from when users submit Ratings or Reviews to when those submissions are published to allow us to automatically detect questionable Ratings or Reviews activity," Google noted in an advisory, as spotted by Mishaal Rahman (opens in new tab). "During this time, you will still be able to assist your users by viewing and responding to Reviews, but these will not be immediately visible."

Google's new Play Store policy should aid in the reduction of the spread of fraudulent online product reviews. Last year, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into Google and Amazon to see if companies "may not have done enough" to counteract bogus reviews on their respective platforms.

Over the last few years, many developers have been plagued by fake reviews and ratings, particularly negative ones that undermine the popularity of their products. According to Google's Ratings & Reviews page on the Play Store, "reviews should represent the experience you've had with the content or service you're reviewing," yet some user feedback on the Play Store may be unconnected to the app being reviewed.

Furthermore, Google warns against publishing the same review numerous times, as well as reviews from multiple accounts for the same material. The most recent adjustment should result in more honest evaluations that more accurately depict people' actual experiences with a product.

Source: https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-play-store-24-hour-review-delay