# FAQs for Review Verification and Publication - Capterra > Answers to some of the most common questions about Capterra's reviews program. Source: https://www.capterra.com/faq/faqs-verification --- # FAQs for Review Verification and Publication [Who determines which reviews should be published?](#who-determines-which-reviews-should-be-published) [Does your site publish negative reviews?](#does-your-site-publish-negative-reviews) [Why was a previously published review disabled after being published?](#why-was-a-previously-published-review-disabled-after-being-published) [What happens if a fraudulent review is found?](#what-happens-if-a-fraudulent-review-is-found) [What is considered fraud?](#what-is-considered-fraud) [What is considered a “Bad” review?](#what-is-considered-a-bad-review) [Can a review be submitted by a competitor?](#can-a-review-be-submitted-by-a-competitor) [Are old reviews removed if a product's features have been updated?](#are-old-reviews-removed-if-a-products-features-have-been-updated) [How can I flag a suspicious review?](#how-can-i-flag-a-suspicious-review) [Do you require proof of use when evaluating a review?](#do-you-require-proof-of-use-when-evaluating-a-review) [How is it possible for fraudulent reviews to pass inspection?](#how-is-it-possible-for-fraudulent-reviews-to-pass-inspection) [Why are some reviews accompanied by a notation stating they were incentivized?](#why-are-some-reviews-accompanied-by-a-notation-stating-they-were-incentivized) [Does Capterra fact-check reviews for accuracy?](#does-capterra-fact-check-reviews-for-accuracy) [May a foreign language review be published on your site?](#may-a-foreign-language-review-be-published-on-your-site) [How valid are videos or articles promoting false reviews submissions?](#how-valid-are-videos-or-articles-promoting-false-reviews-submissions) [Does your site edit the content of the reviews published?](#does-your-site-edit-the-content-of-the-reviews-published) [Does a reviewer need to be a customer to leave a review?](#does-a-reviewer-need-to-be-a-customer-to-leave-a-review) [When is a reviewer's software experience not acceptable?](#when-is-a-reviewers-software-experience-not-acceptable) [What languages are supported for reviews?](#what-languages-are-supported-for-reviews) [Will reviews submitted in a previously unsupported language become eligible for publication?](#will-reviews-submitted-in-a-previously-unsupported-language-become-eligible-for-publication) [Can a review be written in more than one language?](#can-a-review-be-written-in-more-than-one-language) [How are reviews submitted in a foreign (non-English) language displayed on the site?](#how-are-reviews-submitted-in-a-foreign-non-english-language-displayed-on-the-site) [Is the QA process the same for reviews submitted in a language other than English?](#is-the-qa-process-the-same-for-reviews-submitted-in-a-language-other-than-english) [May reviews include partial or incomplete titles?](#may-reviews-include-partial-or-incomplete-titles) [Can an emoji be used in a review?](#can-an-emoji-be-used-in-a-review) [Are competitors to Gartner or G2 Digital Markets sites allowed to review software?](#are-competitors-to-gartner-or-gartner-digital-markets-sites-allowed-to-review-software) ## Who determines which reviews should be published? All reviews are manually examined by our team of experts in an effort to ensure published reviews are from verified sources and provide helpful content. All reviews are treated equally during the verification process, regardless of rating or vendor. During this process, the team verifies the reviewer’s identity, checks for conflicts of interest, and evaluates the review against our site guidelines. We employ leading technologies to analyze content quality and check for generative AI and plagiarized content, ensuring every review is authentic. For a more in-depth overview, please see our [Quality Assurance guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#understanding-2). ## Does your site publish negative reviews? Simply put, yes. We treat one-star reviews no differently from five-star reviews. Like all online reviews platforms, our sites are intended to provide a forum for honest discussion between vendors and software users. By remaining neutral, they can host a wide array of opinions that help software shoppers make informed decisions. For this reason, and also to ensure compliance with applicable laws, we do not modify content or remove an opinion or statement from a valid review. For a detailed overview of our Quality Assurance process, [click here](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#understanding-2). ## Why was a previously published review disabled after being published? The reviews program is continuously evolving. As we improve our methods, we periodically audit previously published reviews as they are flagged by our system. If a past review does not meet our current standards or our current guidelines, it may be removed by our team. ## What happens if a fraudulent review is found? If a review is found to be fraudulent by our team, it will be removed from our site. In addition, the reviewer may be subject to removal from any outreach campaigns, and/or banned from leaving future reviews from our site. If a vendor is found to have participated in fraudulent activity, their account may be subject to future penalties such as a publically visible warning about suspicious activity. ## What is considered fraud? Capterra is committed to providing our visitors an unbiased reviews catalog with content from other community members. Though every reviewer is entitled to--and encouraged to share--their own opinion, Capterra is vigilant against attempts to deceive others through their review’s content. Any reviews found to be fraudulent will be removed, and the submitter of the review will be subject to penalties. Fraudulent activity may include, but is not limited to, the following: Attempts by a vendor to influence the reputation of themselves, or another vendor, by: - Paying for the services of a third party, such as a marketing agency, to post reviews - Submitting reviews of their own product, or of any software (such as a competitor’s product) in which they have a financial interest - Submitting reviews on behalf of an actual user, with or without their consent - Encouraging reviews to be posted based on false pretenses - Discouraging users from posting negative feedback - Harassing or bullying a reviewer over a review in an attempt to force its removal Vendors should also refrain from reviewing a competitor’s product or paying for reviews to be submitted to a competitor’s account. Fraudulent activity may also include attempts by a reviewer to damage the reputation of a vendor, or obtain incentives, through false pretenses such as: - Writing a review of a software product without actual experience using the product - Writing a review of a software product after being solicited by a competitor - Copying content from another source, including our own site - Allowing a third party to post a review on your behalf - Using generative AI to write the review content A reviewer should not review a product for which they have a conflict of interest or a financial stake in its success. ## What is considered a “Bad” review? We believe it is important not to focus on the star rating alone. Our research has shown that people actually find reviews of products more believable if they have a variety of star ratings. In addition, a detailed review, even if a “lower” score, provides a much clearer picture of an experience than a five-star review with few details. We encourage our vendors to respond to all customer reviews, regardless of rating given. We believe (and research shows) that a vendor’s willingness to address critical reviews builds credibility, shows responsiveness, and generally creates a more favorable opinion of the vendor and product. ## Can a review be submitted by a competitor? No. When our QA team verifies each reviewer's identity, we take steps to ensure that they are a real person, not a scammer, and (among other items) do not have any conflict of interest (financial or competitive) with the vendor they are reviewing. Please see an overview of our [Quality Assurance guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#understanding-2) for more details. ## Are old reviews removed if a product's features have been updated? If a review was submitted for a version of the product which was active and being supported at the time the review was submitted, the review will remain published. It is an accurate reflection of what the user's experience was at that point in time. As a product evolves, it is typical to see a shift in the nature of the reviews listed, and we believe this helps increase the value to software shoppers visiting our site. Older reviews can help a software shopper see how things have changed over the long term, and help them gain confidence that issues are being addressed and updates being made over time. ## How can I flag a suspicious review? We take several steps to safeguard against fraudulent reviews. We have technology in place, as well as a team dedicated to moderating reviews. But no system is perfect, and occasionally an inappropriate review may slip through the cracks. In these rare instances, you may flag a review by emailing us at [reviews@capterra.com](mailto:reviews@capterra.com), providing as much information as possible about the review, and the reasons you believe it should be investigated. Vendors may log in to their vendor portals for instructions as to how to flag a review. For more details about our process, please refer to our [Reviews Investigation Guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#writing-5). What evidence do you consider while evaluating a review flagged for fraud? While our internal investigative processes are confidential and all decisions are subject to our discretion, we have outlined some key factors that we consider during our reviews investigation process. Click here for an overview of our [investigation process](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#writing-5). ## Do you require proof of use when evaluating a review? We’ll request proof of use from users when investigating reviews, but it‘s not required. Our experience has shown that “proof of use” is a valuable piece of the puzzle, but not a reliable source of proof on its own. It’s just one aspect among an array of considerations we use when evaluating a review. Faking proof of use through doctored screenshots or images taken from web searches is a method favored by those looking to scam our system. Moreover, with tens of thousands of products listed in our catalog, it is simply not feasible for our QA team to become experts in verifying proof of use across all products. In our ongoing efforts to treat all vendors equally, we consider “proof of use” as one aspect among the many that make up our [investigation](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#writing-5). ## How is it possible for fraudulent reviews to pass inspection? We have technology in place, as well as a team dedicated to moderating reviews, to safeguard against fraudulent reviews. Every review is manually verified with care and consideration to ensure a high quality of content is published across our site. No system is perfect, however, and with tens of thousands of reviews submitted monthly, occasionally an inappropriate review may slip through the cracks. In these cases we rely on our vendors and our reviewer community to alert us of potential fraud by “flagging” a review for further review [“flagging” a review for further review](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#writing-4). ## Why are some reviews accompanied by a notation stating they were incentivized? We have implemented an "i" icon on our site, which will indicate the reviewer was offered an incentive to leave their review. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Endorsement Guidelines require online companies to provide clear notice when a review has been submitted in exchange for a nominal incentive (whether invited by the website or by the software vendor). See [https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking](https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking). Our policies require that any such incentive must be made available to all reviewers who submit honest reviews, regardless of the rating they ultimately give the product they are reviewing. ## Does Capterra fact-check reviews for accuracy? Our team has analyzed hundreds of thousands of reviews across the tens of thousands of products listed in our catalog. It would not be feasible for our QA team to become experts equally across all products or to spend an equal amount of time verifying the details of each review. In our effort to treat all vendors equally, we must not fact check the opinions submitted by our reviewers. Instead, our Quality Assurance team focuses on verifying the identity of the reviewers and ensuring that reviews posted meet our site guidelines. Please find more details about our [QA process](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#understanding-2), and our [Reviews Guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines). ## May a foreign language review be published on your site? Yes, our sites do accept reviews in languages other than English, however, those reviews must be submitted on the local language domain of Capterra. For instance, if a review was submitted in French to [Capterra.com](https://www.capterra.com/) it would not be accepted. If a review was submitted in French on [Capterra.fr](https://www.capterra.fr/) it would be eligible for publication. ## How valid are videos or articles promoting false reviews submissions? Our teams are aware of the existence of videos or articles promoting our site as a way to earn extra income, or even offering suggestions on how to game our system and submit reviews under false pretenses. Unfortunately, being targeted in this fashion is not uncommon for any site that offers a rewards program. Our teams actively monitor all such content, and use it to strengthen our existing methods of detecting fraudulent activity. We condemn the submission of reviews under false pretenses, and have built a robust [Quality Assurance program](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#understanding-2) to safeguard against reviews fraud. Any review that does not adhere to - or is found to violate - our [strict guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#writing-2) will not be published, and any reviewer who is found to have submitted a false review will have their accounts banned. ## Does your site edit the content of the reviews published? As per our [reviewer policies](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#writing-3), we will never make an edit that would change the original intent of a review. However, we may make simple edits to correct typos or remove non-standard characters. Edits may also be made to hide sensitive data (as further described elsewhere), such as personally identifying information, or private contract terms that are not intended for public disclosure. The reviewer will not be notified about these edits, which are made at the discretion of our site. ## Does a reviewer need to be a customer to leave a review? No. A reviewer does not need to be a customer in order to leave a review- so long as they are a direct user of the software, they may submit a review. For example, if a reviewer uses a software while working a company licensing the software, their review would be valid even though they may not be listed on any contracts, or have their own user account. ## When is a reviewer's software experience not acceptable? It is not acceptable for a review to be based on a user experience influenced by a third party. For example, a review of an ecommerce platform based off of a shopping experience on a 3rd party’s ecommerce store would not be allowed, as the ecommerce store itself would dictate the user experience. It is also not acceptable for a review to be based on an indirect experience with the software. Reviews must be submitted by the actual user of the software, and not on behalf of the software user by a 3rd party. For example, if a software is used by coworkers of the reviewer, but the reviewer has no direct experience using the software themselves, they may not submit a review on behalf of the experience of their coworkers. ## What languages are supported for reviews? At this time, our site supports reviews submitted in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese. Reviews submitted in a supported language will be manually evaluated by our Quality Assurance team to ensure compliance with our [Community Guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines). Any review submitted in a language not supported by our site, or a mix of languages, will not be processed through our system, and will not be eligible for current or future publication. ## Will reviews submitted in a previously unsupported language become eligible for publication? A review submitted in a language not supported by our sites at the time of submission will remain ineligible for publication even if the language becomes supported at a later date. ## Can a review be written in more than one language? Reviews must be written in one language and cannot contain a mix of languages. ## How are reviews submitted in a foreign (non-English) language displayed on the site? Published reviews that are submitted in a non-English Language supported by our sites will display in the language in which they were originally submitted. In addition, reviews submitted in a language other than English may be displayed higher on a local version of our site where the language is natively spoken. ## Is the QA process the same for reviews submitted in a language other than English? All reviews submitted through our sites, regardless of their location and language in which they are submitted, undergo the same [quality assurance process](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines#understanding-2), and are held to the same set of [Community Guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines). Please note that only reviews submitted in a [supported language](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/faqs-verification#faq-19) are eligible for consideration. ## May reviews include partial or incomplete titles? While a review will not be disabled solely on the basis of an incomplete or partial review title, all review titles must meet the criteria outlined in our [Community Guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines). Any review that does not meet the Community Guidelines requirements for publication will not be eligible for publication. ## Can an emoji be used in a review? Our sites do not fully support the display of emojis in review content. In addition, our Guidelines prohibit masking any submitted content if such masking would [change the intent of a review](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/faqs-vendors#faq-36). As emojis are often used to convey meaning, removing an emoji could potentially change the intent of a review. Therefore, because we cannot remove emojis without potentially altering the content of the review, we cannot publish any review in which emojis convey a substantive message, or when emojis are used to convey a message that violates one of our published [Guidelines](https://www.capterra.com/reviews/guidelines), at our discretion. An example of prohibited use would be a review that utilizes emojis in place of actual text content, in which the content of the review would not read correctly were the emoji not displayed. We also cannot publish a review that uses emojis to meet minimum character counts, or where excessive emoji use could cause a review not to display properly on our site, or where the implied intent of an emoji could be deemed profane or harassing in nature. We may, at our discretion, remove or replace emojis which could cause grammatical confusion—such as when they are used in place of a recognized punctuation mark. ## Are competitors to Gartner or G2 Digital Markets sites allowed to review software? To avoid potential conflicts of interest, we do not publish reviews from reviewers found associated with G2 Digital Markets competitors. Our site reserves the right to determine competitor status.