Review gating vs. review routing: what changed in 2024 (and why it matters)

What the FTC actually said in October 2024 In August 2024 the Federal Trade Commission finalized 16 CFR Part 465 — the Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule — and it took effect on October 21, 2024. The rule did not invent a new theory of fraud. It codified what the agency had already been saying through enforcement actions for the better part of a decade, and gave itself the power to seek civil penalties up to $53,088 per violation. The rule prohibits a list of practices most operators already