German corporations systematically erase negative feedback through EU Digital Services Act regulations
In a shocking turn of events, the Digital Services Act (DSA), a consumer protection legislation in the European Union, is being systematically abused by German businesses. This abuse is most evident in the removal of unfavorable online reviews, affecting multiple business categories beyond restaurants, including doctors, hotels, legal firms, and driving schools.
The practice has reached "industrial scale," particularly affecting Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and Trustpilot platforms. German businesses exploit mechanisms provided by the DSA by filing mass complaints against negative reviews, claiming defamation even when reviews describe genuine customer experiences.
This burden-shifting mechanism makes consumers vulnerable even when providing factual accounts of poor service. Under German legal concepts, defendants are required to prove their statements were true rather than prosecutors proving they were false, facilitating this manipulation.
The Duesseldorf Regional Court's January 15, 2025, decision in the case of Stuttgart-based Skinport versus Google Ireland Limited established important precedent regarding platform liability under DSA provisions. However, platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, and Trustpilot receive thousands of takedown requests daily but lack the resources to properly evaluate each complaint. Google's approach involves notifying reviewers about removal requests and providing limited appeal opportunities, with the appeals process heavily favoring removing content rather than defending potentially controversial reviews.
The situation highlights tensions between legitimate content moderation and free expression protection. Consumer choice and business competition are affected by the systematic removal of negative reviews. The abuse undermines the reliability of online reviews that marketing professionals rely on for local search optimization and reputation management strategies.
Users are adapting by seeking businesses with mixed review profiles. Photographic evidence appears to provide the strongest defense against false removal claims. Food safety departments can conduct inspections and take enforcement action against establishments with genuine hygiene problems, providing remedies that review removal cannot eliminate.
As of August 1, 2025, a detailed analysis of German review manipulation was published by Rewboss. There is no specific public information on which companies in Germany systematically use the Digital Services Act to remove unfavorable online reviews or exact daily takedown request numbers for platforms like Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and Trustpilot. However, the process to request deletion of unlawful Google reviews involves a "Notice and Take Down" procedure with strict deadlines enforced by courts, such as the Hamburg Regional Court ruling that requires review within 9 days.
The German review manipulation represents a significant challenge for the Digital Services Act's effectiveness. It is crucial for policymakers and platforms to address this issue to ensure consumer protection, maintain business competition, and uphold the reliability of online reviews.
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