Google’s Weapon in Ensuring Business Profile Integrity

Google uses AI technology to maintain the reliability of business information by identifying suspicious edits, removing fake profiles, and combating dishonest reviews.

In the digital age, platforms such as Google Maps serve as critical connections between consumers and local businesses. The immense volume of data available—ranging from reviews and ratings to contact information—requires stringent monitoring to maintain its reliability. Google leverages innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and employs a team of highly skilled analysts to ensure the accuracy and trustworthiness of this data.

AI has proven instrumental in Google’s efforts to curb fraudulent activities. The previous year, the company removed over 10,000 deceptive listings managed by perpetrators who impersonated legitimate locksmiths to hijack unclaimed Business Profiles and overcharge consumers. Google’s response went beyond merely eradicating fraudulent content; it initiated legal action against the culprits to deter future misconduct and applied the lessons learned to strengthen its detection systems.

One such enhancement is the new model trained with the help of Gemini’s AI tool. This model can identify potentially suspicious edits to business profiles. For instance, a business changing its name from “Zoe’s Coffee House” to “Zoe’s Cafe” does not raise alarm bells, but a transition from “cafe” to “plumber” certainly does. Gemini, equipped with a few examples, can discern what constitutes suspicious activity and apply this knowledge across diverse business categories and languages. This innovation has already blocked thousands of questionable Business Profile edits this year.

Fake reviews, particularly those that unjustly award a five-star rating, pose another challenge. While genuine five-star reviews are an excellent way for customers to acknowledge a business, some establishments manipulate the system by purchasing counterfeit reviews from individuals who have never patronized their business. Google’s policies strictly prohibit such dishonest practices.

AI has enhanced Google’s ability to detect these unfair tactics. The technology enables frequent review checks to uncover new abuse patterns, even months after the reviews were initially posted. Google has also introduced alerts in the U.S., U.K., and India to inform users if suspicious five-star reviews have been recently removed under specific circumstances. These warnings, set to expand globally next month, provide users with immediate insight into potential unfair review practices.

Reflecting on the progress made in 2024, Google’s advanced machine learning algorithms blocked or eliminated over 240 million policy-violating reviews, the majority of which were removed before they reached the public eye. The improved detection system blocked or removed over 70 million policy-violating edits to places on Maps and over 12 million fraudulent Business Profiles. Google also imposed posting restrictions on more than 900,000 accounts, which repeatedly violated its policies.

Discover more at Google.