Google announces review-scam protection, review pauses and edit alerts for owners
What changed
Google announced it would quickly remove spam review spikes, pause new reviews on the affected profile, alert the owner and show customers a banner. It also started using Gemini to block bad edits and began emailing verified, active owners about important edits before they go live. Google said it removed over 292 million policy-violating reviews in 2025.
What to do
- Make sure your profile is verified and you sign in regularly so you count as an "active" owner.
- Turn on email notifications for your Business Profile.
- If someone demands money to remove fake one-star reviews, report it to Google and don't pay.