Problem guide · Last reviewed 12 October 2026
Reviews about you or your business
A bad review hurts, but platforms only remove reviews that break a specific rule. Knowing which rule, and replying calmly in public, does more than any amount of arguing.
The short version
Match the review to a specific rule, then report it. The review platform decides. The free check gives you the plan for your situation and your country, with a letter you can edit.
Start this plan About two minutes · Free · Nothing you type is sent to us
Who decides
The review platform decides, against its own policy.
Time
About 20 minutes. Platforms often take a few days to a few weeks.
Don’t post fake positive reviews, offer incentives for reviews, or ask friends to mass-report. These break platform rules and, in Australia, consumer law.
The plan, in outline
Screenshot the review
- The review, with the reviewer’s name and date
- Anything that shows why it breaks a rule, like booking records
Find the rule it breaks
Common ones: fake engagement (not a real experience), conflict of interest (competitors, ex-staff), off-topic, hate or harassment, and personal information.
Report it through the platform
Use the platform’s “report” or “flag” option. Keep it short and factual.
Write a calm public reply
Whatever happens with the report, a polite reply shows future customers how you handle problems. Don’t share the reviewer’s private details.
Check back on the report
If the platform says no, you can usually appeal once with clearer evidence.
If the answer is no
- Most platforms allow one appeal. Add any evidence you didn’t include the first time.
- If the review is false and causing you serious harm, talk to a lawyer. Defamation has strict time limits, and in Australia most businesses with 10 or more employees can’t sue for it.
- Ask happy customers for honest reviews in the normal way, without incentives. Over time that matters more than one review.
Official links last checked 12 October 2026.