ReviewProof · WooCommerce

FTC fake-reviews & endorsements for WooCommerce sellers: do the rules apply to you?

The FTC's fake-reviews rule bans fake/AI reviews, bought followers, undisclosed influencers, and review suppression.

Since Oct 2024 US rules WooCommerce

How FTC fake-reviews & endorsements works on WooCommerce

WooCommerce is self-hosted, so almost nothing is handled for you — you own the stack, the data, and therefore the compliance. That's more control and more responsibility than a hosted marketplace.

📦 On WooCommerce: Self-hosting means US privacy, marketing and auto-renewal rules apply to you directly, and the configuration (consent, disclosures, cancel flow) is entirely yours.

Does this apply to you?

This rule applies to WooCommerce sellers who use reviews, testimonials, influencers, or affiliates. Use reviews, testimonials, influencers or affiliates? Penalties run to ~$53k per violation. Not sure? The free checker tells you in about a minute — no signup.

The WooCommerce checklist

Whatever the platform handles, you still need to be able to answer "yes" to each of these — these are the points WooCommerce sellers most often get caught on:

What's at stake

⚠️ Exposure: up to $53,088 per violation (FTC) · Status: Since Oct 2024. On WooCommerce, that's on top of any account suspension for breaking platform policy.

Compare the penalty for every rule →

Common questions

Do I have to handle fTC fake-reviews & endorsements myself on WooCommerce, or does WooCommerce cover it?

WooCommerce gives you the storefront, but fTC fake-reviews & endorsements compliance is the seller's responsibility — the platform doesn't do it for you. The free checker shows exactly where you stand in about a minute.

Are fake reviews illegal?

Yes — the FTC's rule (16 CFR Part 465, effective Oct 2024) bans fake or AI-written reviews, bought engagement, undisclosed insider reviews, and review suppression, with penalties up to about $53,088 per violation.

Do influencers have to disclose paid posts?

Yes — any material connection (payment, free product, or affiliate commission) must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.

Can I delete negative reviews?

You can't deceptively suppress or threaten over honest negative reviews. Removing genuine criticism to mislead shoppers is prohibited.

The source

RuleGoose checks this against the FTC reviews rule (16 CFR Part 465) + Endorsement Guides. Read it yourself: eCFR — 16 CFR Part 465 →

Check your WooCommerce store against FTC fake-reviews & endorsements — free.
Answer a few questions, see exactly where you're exposed, and draft the fix. No signup, runs in your browser. Run the ReviewProof checker →

or get one RuleGoose Score across every rule your WooCommerce store has to meet.

The full WooCommerce picture

FTC fake-reviews & endorsements is one of several rules a WooCommerce store has to meet. See the full WooCommerce compliance checklist →, or read the platform-neutral FTC fake-reviews & endorsements guide.

Same rule, other platforms

Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the FTC or WooCommerce. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.