Competition watchdog to probe Google and Amazon over fake reviews

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The UK competition regulator has opened an investigation into Amazon and Google over fake reviews on their sites that may be duping consumers.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the two companies may not have done enough to detect and remove fake reviews or to take action against those responsible for them. The regulator said it could take the tech companies to court if it found they had broken consumer protection law.

The update follows a Financial Times investigation into Amazon's product reviews last year, which exposed a lucrative ecosystem in which users were being paid to leave thousands of five-star ratings on its site.

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