CMA probe Competition and Markets Authority investigate tech giants over fake reviews

That’s so fake!

The UK’s Competitive and Marketing Authority (CMA) has opened a formal probe into Amazon and Google over their fake reviews.

The CMA simply believes they are not doing enough to combat dodgy reviews on their sites, and if this is the case then they may have broken consumer law “by taking insufficient action to protect shoppers from fake reviews”.

CMA’s investigation will raise specific concerns, such as whether Amazon and Google have been doing enough to: • Detect fake and misleading reviews or suspicious patterns of behaviour. For example, where the same users have reviewed the same range of products or businesses at similar times to each other and there is no connection between those products or businesses – or where the review suggests that the reviewer has received a payment or other incentive to write a positive review. • Investigate and, where necessary, promptly remove fake and misleading reviews from their platforms. • Impose adequate sanctions on reviewers or businesses to deter them and others from posting fake or misleading reviews on their platforms – including those who have published these types of reviews many times.

The CMA is also concerned that Amazon’s systems have been failing adequately to prevent and deter some sellers from manipulating product listings – for example, by co-opting positive reviews from other products.

Andreas Coscelli, CMA’s Chief Executive (pictured), said: “Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations. Equally, it’s simply not fair if some businesses can fake five-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.”

QR codes are now here to stay

QR codes have been all the rage, from the NHS track and trace app to ordering drinks and food at your local pub. And now the UK has opened up they might be getting a whole new lease of life. The blackand-white squares can now be used as a cheap and secure way for small businesses to take payments.

An app called Tomato Pay has been launched, which means customers simply scan a QR code with their phone’s camera or click a payment link. They then select their bank and confirm the payment. Customers don’t need to download the app to pay, they just need a phone. Payments are 100% secure and verified with Touch-ID or FaceID. It means businesses don’t need a card machine and there’s no long set-up process.

The transactions fee paid for businesses depends on the size of payment. Anything under £100 it is 1p, up to £100 it’s 10p and above £100 it’s 0.1%.

The money also arrives into the business account instantly.

Check it out at https://www. tomatopay.co.uk

Contactless limit fears

Fears are rising over the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) move to allow the contactless card payment limit rise from £45 to £100.

The banking trade body, UK Finance, says that just 20% of people it surveyed thought the current £45 single transaction limit is too low. In fact, 13% felt it needed to be reduced, and some 62% felt that the current limit was ‘about right’.

The change, which is due later this year, is widely supported by the banks but doesn’t appear to have the same support among the public.

In an 11-page submission to the FCA, UK FInance said: “There is no significant demand from consumers to increase the single value limit above £45.”

In 2020, the number of contactless payments rose 12% to 9.6 billion. Contactless fraud accounts for 2.9% of the £575 million lost to card scams. Last year, some £16 million was lost, which was actually down on 2019. UK Finance said this may have been down to the fact that consumers were stuck at home a bit more last year!

Windows 11 here

Microsoft has unveiled its next generation operating system – Windows 11. The new software will allow Android apps to mrun on the Windows desktop.

Microsoft’s Panos Panay said Windows 11 will provide smaller, faster security updates. This has been a big criticism by users. And, just like a Mac, it will let users configure multiple desktops for work, home and gaming.

There are currently some 1.3 billion Windows 10 users (it was launched in 2015), and the new update will be free to existing users. You will need a minimum of 64 gigabytes of storage and four gigabytes of RAM. Just so you know, Windows 10 will be put out to pasture in 2025.

A big change has been the moving of the ‘start button’ from the left-hand side of the screen to the bottom-centre.

Windows 11 should also allow tighter integration with the tech giants communication platform Teams. Access to a game’s subscription services and the Xbox Games Pass will also be pre-installed.

Tech briefs

Pap BT vs Elon Musk

BT has joined forces with taxpayer-owned satellite operator OneWeb to try to solve the problem of rural broadband blackspots. This puts it in direct competition with Elon Musk’s Starlink company, which has launched more than 1,800 satellites and has been providing broadband in the UK since January. BT and OneWeb will now work together to see if satellites could be used, with the help of new mobile masts, to create universal coverage.

Pap Cookies ban delayed

Google has delayed its plan to block third-party cookies from its Chrome Internet browser. The ban had been planned for 2022, but is now put back to 2023. Cookies have now been blocked by some of Google’s rivals such as Apple, Microsoft and

Mozilla. However, Google says it now plans to replace the system with a design it says will give better privacy, but still allow marketing.

Pap Watchdog to scrutinise mobile ecosystems

The UK’s competition watchdog has launched an investigation into Apple’s and Google’s mobile platforms over concerns their market power is harming users and other businesses. The Competition & Markets Authority has said it wants to look at the tech giant’s effective duopoly over the supply of operating systems (iOS and Android), app stores (App Stores and Play Store) and web browsers (Safari and Chrome), which could be resulting in consumers losing out across a wide range of areas. The CMA is concerned the lack of competition could lead to reduced innovation across the sector, with consumers paying higher prices for devices and apps, or for other goods and services due to higher advertising prices.