Review gating: what it is, what Google and the FTC say, and what to do instead

What is review gating?

Review gating is any setup that decides who gets invited to leave a public review based on how satisfied they seem. The classic version asks "How was your experience?" first, sends 4-5 star answers to Google, and shows 1-3 star answers only a private form with no public link. The result is a review profile that looks better than reality.

Gating can be built into software, but it can also be manual:

• A technician only hands review cards to customers who were friendly on the job.
• An email says "If you loved your visit, leave us a review. If not, email the manager."
• Staff ask for reviews only from customers who already paid a compliment.
• A survey screens customers and only promoters ever see a review link.

What these have in common is selection by sentiment. The question is not whether you collect feedback privately. It is whether unhappy customers are kept away from the public review option.

Google's review gating policy

Google's policy for reviews on Maps and Business Profiles prohibits review gating directly. Under its rules on fake engagement, Google lists as prohibited when merchants "discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers." It also prohibits offering incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services for reviews.

The source is Google's Maps User Generated Content Policy page on prohibited and restricted content. In the same section, Google states that fake engagement "is not allowed and will be removed." Google's Business Profile help center separately says that offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for customers to post reviews is strictly prohibited.

So on Google, both halves of the classic gating flow are a problem: selectively asking happy customers, and discouraging unhappy customers from posting.

Is review gating illegal under the FTC rule?

Not specifically under the FTC's 2024 consumer reviews rule, but it can still be illegal. The FTC's own Q&A says the rule "does not contain a specific prohibition" on asking only customers you think are happy, then adds that "this practice could violate the FTC Act," pointing to its Endorsement Guides. This is guidance, not a court ruling.

Here is what each piece actually says, so you don't have to rely on secondhand summaries.

The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule (16 CFR Part 465)

The FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials was published in the Federal Register on August 22, 2024 and took effect on October 21, 2024. According to the FTC's announcement, it lets the agency seek civil penalties against knowing violators. Among other things, it covers fake reviews, buying reviews, and incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment.

Its review suppression section (465.7) is narrower than many marketers assume. It prohibits:

• Using unfounded or groundless legal threats, physical threats, intimidation, or certain false public accusations to prevent a review or get one removed.
• Misrepresenting that the reviews displayed on a review portion of your own website represent all or most of the reviews submitted, when reviews have been suppressed based on their ratings or negative sentiment.

Section 465.7 is about how a business treats reviews that exist or are being written. It does not, by its own terms, address who you choose to invite. That is why the FTC handles gating under its broader authority.

The FTC Act and the Endorsement Guides

In its Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q&A, the FTC answers the question "Can my business ask for reviews only from customers whom we think are happy with our services?" Its answer: the rule doesn't specifically prohibit it, "But this practice could violate the FTC Act," citing Endorsement Guides 16 CFR 255.2(d) and (e)(11).

Example 11 in 16 CFR 255.2 describes gating almost exactly: a marketer collects feedback, invites only purchasers who gave very positive feedback to post reviews on third-party sites, and simply thanks the less pleased ones. The Guides say this "may be an unfair or deceptive practice" if it results in posted reviews being substantially more positive than they otherwise would be. The same example says that inviting all recent purchasers would not be unfair or deceptive, "even if it had expressed its hope for positive reviews."

The careful summary: gating is prohibited by Google's policy, and the FTC has said it may violate federal law. This article is general information, not legal advice. If you have a specific situation, talk to a lawyer.

What is allowed: asking everyone and collecting private feedback

You can ask every customer for a review, hope out loud that it's a good one, and collect private feedback, as long as private feedback is an extra option and not a substitute for the public review link. The test is whether a customer who had a bad experience can still easily post publicly.

The FTC's Q&A also notes the rule does not prohibit contacting customers to resolve a complaint, or simply asking satisfied customers to update their reviews. Fixing the problem is always allowed. Pressuring someone with threats or intimidation to remove a review is not.

A compliant review request flow, step by step

Here is a flow that gets you the benefit of hearing about problems early without gating anyone:

1. Send the request to every customer. Pull the list from your POS, invoicing or booking system, not from memory of who was nice.
2. Use neutral wording. Ask for an honest review. See our review request email templates for examples that ask everyone equally.
3. If you ask for a rating first, show the public links to everyone. A customer who taps 2 stars should still be able to click through to Google.
4. Offer a private channel as well. "Want to tell us directly? Reply here and it comes straight to the owner." This helps you fix problems without blocking anyone from posting.
5. Remind everyone the same way. If you send follow-ups, send them to all non-responders, not just likely promoters.
6. Never offer incentives for reviews, and never ask for a specific star rating.
7. Respond to negative reviews professionally. Our guide on how to respond to negative reviews covers what to say.

This is how ReviewUsToday's review request software is built. Every customer gets the same one-tap rating email. Customers who choose 4-5 stars are taken to your review site or sites. Customers who choose 1-3 stars see a private feedback form that emails you instantly, and they still see your public review links, so everyone can post publicly. Reminders go to anyone who hasn't rated, regardless of how they might feel.

How to check if your current setup is gating

If you already use review software or a manual process, ask these questions:

• Does a customer who gives a low rating ever see a page with no public review link?
• Does anyone on your team decide who gets a review card or email based on how the job went?
• Does any email or sign say something like "if you're happy, review us; if not, contact us"?
• Do reminders go only to customers who rated you highly?
• Is anything offered in exchange for a review?

A "yes" to any of these is worth fixing. In most cases the fix is small: show the public links to everyone, rewrite one sentence, or send the request to the whole list. For the broader playbook, start with our hub guide on how to ask for reviews.

Frequently asked questions