The Italian government has put forward a draft law to address the growing problem of fake or paid online reviews for hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions, aiming to shield consumers and businesses from deceptive feedback.

This proposed law, pending parliamentary approval, would mandate reviewers to provide verifiable identification and evidence of their visit to the establishment.

Furthermore, reviews must be posted within two weeks of the visit and can be removed if deemed false or over two years old.

Tourism Minister Daniela Santanche emphasized the move as essential to protecting Italian businesses from unfair competition due to misleading online reviews.

While fake reviews are already illegal in Italy, enforcement has been difficult.

The bill suggests assigning the task of monitoring and penalizing offenders to the nation's antitrust watchdog.

The draft law also targets paid reviews or those incentivized by sponsorships, practices widely considered unethical in the industry.

Some groups, like the consumer association Federconsumatori, have supported the initiative, though there are worries about privacy impacts and the potential reduction in the number of online comments if anonymity is removed.

Michele Carrus, chairman of Federconsumatori, noted that tackling fake reviews is challenging but views the proposed regulations as a positive step.

The bill is slated for parliamentary debate, where it might receive amendments before becoming law.

The legislation’s emphasis on curbing fraudulent practices is expected to benefit businesses by ensuring fair competition and aid consumers in making informed choices based on genuine experiences.