Mozilla will add a fake review-detection feature to its Firefox browser, removing the need to guess whether a review is genuine or not.
As MSpoweruser reports, the new Firefox feature is called "Review Checker" and it's based on Fakespot, which Mozilla acquired in May. Fakespot is an add-on for Firefox and other browsers and uses AI and machine learning to analyze product reviews and sellers as you shop across the major online stores.
Each seller is given a rating based on trustworthiness, and the user is provided with a list of adjusted star ratings and review highlights. Review grades are displayed, with A or B meaning a review is deemed reliable. A C rating is a mix of reliable and unreliable, while D and F ratings mean unreliable or "seek another opinion."
Mozilla is currently testing the new feature with a limited auidence in the US. Byron Jourdan, Senior Director of Product Management at Firefox, said "Since we are currently testing the Review Checker, we have not yet announced a date to roll it out to a larger audience. We will continue to test and see if this is one of the ways where we can help improve people’s online experience."
Once available, Firefox users will be able to trigger the feature by clicking a new price tag icon that appears to the right of the address bar. Initially, it will only work with Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. However, the add-on version also works with eBay, Sephora, and Shopify websites, so support for those will likely be added in the near future.
It will be possible to turn Review Checker off in settings. However, for anyone worried about their privacy while using this new feature, Review Checker uses Oblivious HTTP (OHTTP), which prevents Mozilla from linking the products you’re looking at to your device and ultimately you.
The most popular shopping sites are flooded with bogus reviews. Back in 2021 a database revealed over 200,000 people are involved in posting fake reviews on Amazon alone, and the FTC wants harsher penalties for anyone posting fake reviews. There are a number of tools to help you spot them, but Mozilla is making the process much simpler if you use its browser.