Canada's First Action Against Astroturfing

The Competition Bureau has resolved its first public enforcement action alleging that a marketer engaged in astroturfing. "Astroturfing" is a practice whereby marketers, or their representatives, post fake consumer reviews online to help promote their products or services. Bell Canada, one of Canada's leading telecom providers, entered into a Consent Agreement with the Bureau on October 14, 2015.

The Competition Bureau (the "Bureau") alleged that Bell Canada encouraged certain employees to post positive reviews and ratings of its "MyBellMobile" and "Virgin Mobile My Account" apps on the iTunes and Google Play store, and that the employees did not disclose their relationship to the company in the posts. Failing to disclose the material connection between the reviewer and the service, the Bureau alleged, was false and misleading under the Competition Act.