Tag: CMA
Online platforms failing to weed out fake reviews, claims study
Facebook, Google and Trustpilot can be easily infiltrated with fake reviews with unscrupulous brokers selling them for as little as £4 each, a Which? investigation suggests. The consumer watchdog's latest investigation involved setting up a fake business and approaching brokers to boost its pages on the three platforms using bogus five-star reviews – which revealed…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Amazon investigated by CMA for ‘distorting competition’
Amazon is being investigated by Britain's antitrust watchdog over concerns that some of its practices in the UK may be anticompetitive and result in a worse deal for customers. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will look at whether Amazon is distorting competition by giving an unfair advantage to its own retail business or sellers…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Scientists test living skin on robot
Scientists have created living human skin on robots that is water-repellent and can self-heal. Scientists want robots to look like humans as much as possible so they are relatable, which is particularly important when they are used in the healthcare and service industries. The researchers believe living skin is the solution to give robots the look…
Amazon sellers boost listings with reviews from different products
Unscrupulous businesses are exploiting weaknesses in Amazon's review system to fraudulently boost their listings with reviews lifted from completely different products, a Which? investigation has found. The consumer watchdog found that nine out of 10 of the top-rated headphones on the online marketplace carried glowing reviews for unrelated products, ranging from cuddly toys to jigsaw…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Apple considers pay-as-you-go iPhones
Apple is considering launching a monthly subscription for the iPhone and other gadgets in a move that could encourage users to pay regularly for access to the latest devices. The company is working on the service, which would mean consumers paying for devices in instalments rather than upfront, ahead of a potential launch later this…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Facebook allows calls for violence against Putin
The owner of Facebook and Instagram will allow users in some countries to call for violence against Vladimir Putin and Russian soldiers. Meta says it has temporarily made allowances for some violent speech, like "death to the Russian invaders," that would usually break its rules. However, it says it won't permit calls for violence against…
CMA concerned about EV charging network, ahead of petrol ban
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has set out measures to ensure a national network of electric vehicle chargepoints is in place ahead of the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. As part of its market study into electric vehicle (EV) charging, the CMA examined whether the industry can deliver…
Amazon suspends China-based sellers following investigation
Amazon appears to have suspended a number of China-based sellers from its site which have been linked to fake and incentivised review practices. Many of the brands affected offered products that were extremely popular on the platform, regularly appearing in bestseller lists and bearing the Amazon’s Choice badge. The move follows the Competition and Markets…
CMA to investigate Amazon and Google for fake reviews
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to gather further information to determine whether Amazon and Google may have broken consumer law by taking insufficient action to protect shoppers from fake reviews. The move comes after an initial CMA investigation, which opened in May 2020, and assessed several platforms’ internal systems and processes for identifying…
Tech Digest daily round up: Tesla fined for slowing down battery charging
A court in Norway has fined Tesla after a software update issued in 2019 slowed down battery charging speeds and affected the number of miles some of its vehicles could travel between charges. The case was brought by 30 customers, reports Norwegian news platform Nettavisen. The fine amounts to 136,000 Norwegian Krone (£11,500) for each complainant.…