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Italy is considering a new law that could make it tougher to complain about poor tourist amenities. Backed by the country’s tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, the proposed law aims to hold travel review sites accountable for ensuring that reviewers have actually visited the establishment and are not paid for positive reviews.
Under the proposed law, reviewers would need to provide a valid ID and prove they visited the place within two weeks of writing the review. This legislation, expected to pass easily through parliament, seeks to combat unfair competition, hidden advertising, and fraud in the tourism sector.
Minister Santanchè emphasized that the law aims to safeguard businesses, promote a fair market, and ensure truthful reviews, which play a crucial role in travelers’ decision-making processes.
In addition to regulating how reviews are written, the legislation would grant hotels and restaurants the right to respond to and request the removal of negative reviews. It would also prohibit paying for positive reviews or offering incentives for them, with enforcement overseen by Italy’s Communications Regulatory Authority.
While some industry associations have expressed reservations about the scope of the law, others have called for extending its coverage to social media platforms to enhance consumer transparency.
Overall, the proposed law represents a significant step towards ensuring the integrity of reviews in the Italian tourism sector, with potential implications for the broader European context.
The scope of data collection and analysis in the realm of online platforms is currently centered on restaurants and private websites. However, there is a possibility for this practice to expand to encompass a wider range of goods and services, potentially incorporating evaluations found on prominent international websites such as Amazon. To stay updated with the latest news and newsletters from CNN, you can establish an account on their official website, CNN.com.
