Apple removes fake review identifier from App Store following Amazon complaint [u]
Amazon on Friday said it complained to Apple about an app called Fakespot, which it claims inaccurately identified fraudulent sellers and fake reviews, leading to the title's removal from the App Store.
Fakespot bills itself as a data analytics firm that applies artificial intelligence to the task of detecting false reviews and reviewers on a variety of sites including Amazon, TripAdvisor, Walmart and Yelp, according to its website. The goal of the program is to protect consumers from misleading information, the company says.
Amazon, which is facing a growing problem of fake or incentivized reviews, in a statement said Fakespot "provides customers with misleading information about our sellers and their products, harms our sellers' businesses, and creates potential security risks" when it uses tools that do not adhere to Amazon's own grading system, reports CNET.
The e-commerce giant said it performed a review of Fakespot ratings and found that the third-party firm's findings were incorrect 80% of the time, the report said. Amazon also complained that a recent version of the Fakespot app was "wrapping" its website without permission, or allowing users to log in and view Amazon's storefront with a "secure shopping" overlay, reports The Verge. That unauthorized access, and the fact that Fakespot injects code into its website, could lead to data theft, Amazon contends.
In a statement to The Verge, Amazon said it believes Fakespot violates guideline 5.2.2, a rule dealing with third-party site and service permissions.
Fakespot founder Saoud Khalifah confirmed the takedown in a statement to The Verge, saying Apple alerted him to the removal in a three-line email.
"Apple hasn't even given us the ability to solve this," Khalifah said. "We just dedicated months of resources and time and money into this app."
Fakespot is commonly sited in reports about fraudulent Amazon reviews. That fact was apparently not lost on Amazon, which reportedly attempted to counter the third-party review rating app by purchasing search ads against the "Fakespot" keyword. Khalifah said his app was installed some 150,000 times on iOS.
"Amazon is willing to bully little companies like ours that showcase the cracks in their company," Khalifah said.
Update: Apple disagrees with Khalifah's take on the matter and in a statement to The Verge said Fakespot was informed of Amazon's complaint in June. The developer was given multiple warnings before its app was ultimately pulled from the App Store.
"This was a dispute over intellectual property rights initiated by Amazon on June 8 and within hours we ensured both parties were in contact with one another, explaining the issue and steps for the developer to take to keep their app on the store and giving them ample time to resolve the issue," Apple said. "On June 29, we again reached out to Fakespot weeks before removing their app from the App Store."
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Fakespot bills itself as a data analytics firm that applies artificial intelligence to the task of detecting false reviews and reviewers on a variety of sites including Amazon, TripAdvisor, Walmart and Yelp, according to its website. The goal of the program is to protect consumers from misleading information, the company says.
Amazon, which is facing a growing problem of fake or incentivized reviews, in a statement said Fakespot "provides customers with misleading information about our sellers and their products, harms our sellers' businesses, and creates potential security risks" when it uses tools that do not adhere to Amazon's own grading system, reports CNET.
The e-commerce giant said it performed a review of Fakespot ratings and found that the third-party firm's findings were incorrect 80% of the time, the report said. Amazon also complained that a recent version of the Fakespot app was "wrapping" its website without permission, or allowing users to log in and view Amazon's storefront with a "secure shopping" overlay, reports The Verge. That unauthorized access, and the fact that Fakespot injects code into its website, could lead to data theft, Amazon contends.
In a statement to The Verge, Amazon said it believes Fakespot violates guideline 5.2.2, a rule dealing with third-party site and service permissions.
Amazon started the takedown process in June by informing Apple of potential App Store violations and the tech giant seemingly booted Fakespot from the App Store on Friday. Apple has not commented on the matter.Third-Party Sites/Services: If your app uses, accesses, monetizes access to, or displays content from a third-party service, ensure that you are specifically permitted to do so under the service's terms of use. Authorization must be provided upon request.
Fakespot founder Saoud Khalifah confirmed the takedown in a statement to The Verge, saying Apple alerted him to the removal in a three-line email.
"Apple hasn't even given us the ability to solve this," Khalifah said. "We just dedicated months of resources and time and money into this app."
Fakespot is commonly sited in reports about fraudulent Amazon reviews. That fact was apparently not lost on Amazon, which reportedly attempted to counter the third-party review rating app by purchasing search ads against the "Fakespot" keyword. Khalifah said his app was installed some 150,000 times on iOS.
"Amazon is willing to bully little companies like ours that showcase the cracks in their company," Khalifah said.
Update: Apple disagrees with Khalifah's take on the matter and in a statement to The Verge said Fakespot was informed of Amazon's complaint in June. The developer was given multiple warnings before its app was ultimately pulled from the App Store.
"This was a dispute over intellectual property rights initiated by Amazon on June 8 and within hours we ensured both parties were in contact with one another, explaining the issue and steps for the developer to take to keep their app on the store and giving them ample time to resolve the issue," Apple said. "On June 29, we again reached out to Fakespot weeks before removing their app from the App Store."
Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast -- and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.
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Comments
This seems like a “hide the bad product features” move by Amazon.
Most time when I see something for sale on Amazon and it looks too good to be true I run it through those fake review websites and most times it usually is was not good.
No. There are no anti-trust issues. Apple never sold you an open system. They sold you a system with access to the app store. anti-trust doesn't mean what you think it means I guess
I long ago quit shopping Amazon. Their business practices and the way they treat their employees are atrocious and something I won’t support - I can almost always find other stores that sell what I need, or, simply go straight to the vendor. Half of Amazon has devolved into a glorified flea market that sells nothing but cheap Chinese knockoffs, anyway.
As far as reviews go, fake reviews are rampant in general, but they are especially so on Amazon. Even after I quit shopping Amazon I would use their reviews, but I quit doing that, too, because they were so tainted. Perhaps Amazon should focus on the actual problem rather than an app that is unmasking their problem.
Here’s another thing: I posted a review for a scam product to warn people about it (a so-called “FireWire to USB adapter”, which does not and cannot exist; best case scenario is that it does nothing, but it can also damage your mainboard), and Amazon deleted the review.
This product is still sold on Amazon by several scammy sellers and Amazon do nothing. This is literally an illegal practice (selling a fake product that is also potentially harmful to the user’s computers/devices), and Amazon do nothing about it.
Between these two companies, the far bigger need for strong regulation is Amazon. There’s already existing law not being enforced. Tech companies get away with things that other companies never would (or wouldn’t for long). There aren’t enough resources allocated to this kind of regulation, and we know why: lobbying and anti-regulation politicians.
Or, you know, you could buy a different device.
What I think can and will happen with these antitrust lawsuits is that Apple will open up to third-party billing outside of their services and cut down on fees to make it more palatable for developers. Ultimately it's going to be Apple deciding if they are giving an inch only for Epic Games to take a mile should they voluntarily or through court decision make this move.
What I find fascinating is that people here are slamming Apple and demanding free use of their iPhone to install anything they want. You bought an Apple-produced device running iOS. It's going to run applications written in accordance to the terms and conditions set forth by Apple, to which you and developers agree to because you want to use these products and sell your wares. When you don't like the terms, because you feel they are too restrictive because one game or app wants to give you 8,000 in-game credits using their own payment processor and sell you on a discount by going direct, you bitch about the agreement. You call it unfair, but in turn don't offer a sustainable model to replace it. You want Epic Games to have their own App Store? You aren't defeating Goliath, you are growing a new one.
What you want and need are guidelines for any and all software marketplaces to abide by, so that all the players on the field are following the same rules. The problem is, you aren't going to get those kind of rules easily. There will be disagreements over blood, gore, and violence. Sex, drug use, and adults-only content will be desired as well. Apple cannot imagine a future where pornography apps are prevalent on the iPhone or any of its "i" devices, but it may one day be the norm. But before we reach nirvana, you are going to have Epic stores, Valve stores, etc. They are going to have pissing contests over exclusive apps and games, fees, and more. The initial competition will benefit consumers short-term, but you will have problems. This isn't a time where a "will come to that bridge when we cross it" will suffice. You have to create a sustainable alternative that the platforms can migrate to.
Apple has been too wishy-washy about the rules to many of their big Silicon Valley friends (Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Uber, Amazon, and Netflix) all of whom have gotten away crossing the line and have been allowed to crawl back in.