For those managing a hotel, bar, or restaurant, online reviews are a double-edged sword. While they can drive a business to success, the phenomenon of fake or manipulated reviews has caused immense economic damage and unfair competition over the years.
April 7, 2026, marks a turning point: with the entry into force of the Law on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME Law), the Government has introduced strict new rules to clear the web of misleading content.
Here is everything you need to know about these updates and how the relationship between platforms, users, and business owners is set to change.
The New Pillars of a “Legitimate” Review
The law goes beyond simply condemning fraud; it establishes specific technical criteria for a review to be considered legitimate. From now on, to comply with the regulations, a comment must meet three fundamental requirements:
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Timeliness: Reviews must be published no later than 30 days from the date the product or service was used. No more “fake” memories resurfacing after months.
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Proof of Purchase: This is the most significant change. The reviewer must prove they actually used the service by attaching an invoice or tax receipt.
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No Conflict of Interest: The author must demonstrate they did not receive discounts, benefits, or any other incentives from the provider in exchange for their feedback.
Stopping the “Paid Rating” Economy
The practice of paid positive reviews or “star packages” available for purchase has been placed squarely in the crosshairs of the Italian Competition Authority (Antitrust). The Authority will be responsible for monitoring platforms, investigating violations, and issuing fines (the amounts of which will soon be defined in upcoming guidelines).
Furthermore, trade associations representing the tourism and catering sectors can now apply for status as “qualified whistleblowers,” collaborating with the Antitrust to strengthen oversight for small business owners.
The Right to Removal and the “Two-Year Expiry”
Another interesting point concerns duration: the law states that a review loses its “legitimacy” after two years, as it is no longer considered current. It remains to be seen whether this will result in automatic deletion from portals (such as TripAdvisor or Google)—a detail that the Antitrust is expected to clarify in the coming weeks.
Online platform managers (hosting providers) will also be required to provide more effective tools for business owners to report and request the removal of unlawful or defamatory content.
Why Are These Rules Vital for Your Business?
The numbers speak for themselves: according to research by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, online reviews influence 82% of accommodation bookings and 70% of restaurant visits.
Fake reviews are not just a nuisance; they are a hidden tax that impacts the turnover of Italian SMEs by an estimated 6% to 30%.
What Happens Next?
The new regulations are not retroactive: everything published before April 7, 2026, remains online as is.
The next step lies with the Antitrust, which must publish operational guidelines. At that point, we will understand exactly how tech giants must adapt their verification systems and what the specific penalties will be for those who continue to cheat the system.