The Federal Trade Commission has announced that it will hold an informal hearing on February 13, 2024 on the agency’s proposed rule banning fake reviews and testimonials. As we reported in July 2023, the FTC is proposing to ban business from using illicit review and endorsement practices such as using fake reviews, suppressing honest negative reviews and paying for positive reviews, which deceive consumers looking for real feedback on a product or service and undercut honest businesses.

Administrative Law Judge for the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Honorable Carol Fox Foelak, will serve as the presiding officer of the informal hearing. The hearing will be open to the public and available via webcast. Three interested parties (of the 100 commenters who submitted comments in response to the FTC’s 2023 Federal Register Notice)—the Interactive Advertising Bureau, Fake Review Watch, and a group of academic researchers from Brigham Young University, The Pennsylvania State University, and Emory University—will provide oral statements addressing issues raised during the rulemaking process.