Italy’s competition watchdog has fined Trustpilot and its subsidiaries €4 million ($4.6 million) for failing to properly verify the authenticity of reviews and for misleading users about how its services operate.
According to the regulator, the platform allowed businesses to selectively invite customers to leave reviews, which skewed overall ratings—even when reviews were marked as “verified.”
Trustpilot said it strongly disagrees with the decision by the Italian Competition Authority and plans to appeal.
The penalty follows earlier allegations by short seller Grizzly Research, which accused Trustpilot of generating fake negative reviews to pressure companies into paid subscriptions—claims the company has denied.
The watchdog also found that Trustpilot used “dark pattern” design techniques to obscure important information about how the platform works and which businesses pay for its services, violating Italy’s consumer protection rules.
Trustpilot said the fine is not expected to materially affect its operations or financial position. Its shares, after initially falling by as much as 2.7%, later rose 4.2% in trading.
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