Checklist · Google Policy
Google Review Policy Violations Checklist: Is Your Review Removable? (2026-2027)
Before you report a review, run it through this checklist. It turns Google’s content policy into simple yes/no questions, tells you which report reason to pick, and shows the evidence that makes each type of violation stick. Print it, bookmark it, or share it with your team.
Key takeaways
- A review is removable only if it breaks a specific Google policy or the law.
- Answer the checklist questions in order — the first “yes” is usually your strongest report reason.
- Fake engagement and conflict of interest are the most common removable categories for businesses.
- Every “yes” needs evidence: screenshots, records or a clear quote from the review.
- If every answer is “no”, reply and focus on new reviews instead.
In this checklist
How to Use This Google Review Policy Checklist
Read the review, then answer each question below. Each question maps to a category in Google’s prohibited and restricted content policy. If you answer “yes”, report the review under that category with the listed evidence. If several apply, use the clearest one first. Stuck or rejected? Our Google review removal team can assess it for free.
1. Deceptive Content
| Violation | Ask yourself | Evidence | Report as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fake engagement | Did the reviewer have no genuine experience with my business? | No booking, sale or visit record; impossible details | Fake / not a real experience |
| Conflict of interest | Is the reviewer a competitor, current or former employee, or the owner of another business reviewing mine? | Employment records, competitor links, profile history | Conflict of interest |
| Impersonation | Is the reviewer pretending to be someone else, including staff or the business? | Name or photo misuse | Impersonation |
| Coordinated fake reviews | Are several reviews part of a campaign? | Timeline, shared wording, new profiles | Fake; contact support with the pattern |
See 10 signs a review is fake and competitor fake reviews.
2. Inappropriate Content
| Violation | Ask yourself | Evidence | Report as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harassment | Does it attack, bully or target a named person? | Quote the words and who is targeted | Harassment |
| Hate speech | Does it attack people based on protected characteristics? | Quote the words | Hate speech |
| Threats or dangerous content | Does it threaten violence or encourage harm? | Quote the threat; also tell the police | Dangerous / threatening |
| Personal information | Does it share phone numbers, addresses, health or other private details? | Highlight the details | Personal information |
| Obscene or sexually explicit | Is it vulgar, sexually explicit or obscene? | Quote the content | Obscene / explicit |
Want a review gone without the guesswork?
Send us the link for a free check. We tell you within hours whether it can be removed — you only pay once we confirm.
3. Low-Quality and Off-Topic Content
| Violation | Ask yourself | Evidence | Report as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-topic | Is it about politics, social issues, a different business or something unrelated to an experience here? | Point to what is unrelated | Off-topic |
| Wrong business | Does it describe a different location, brand or service? | Details that don’t match | Off-topic |
| Spam or advertising | Does it promote something, include links or repeat text? | Links, repeated copies | Spam |
| Gibberish | Is it random characters or meaningless? | The review itself | Spam / low quality |
4. Legal Issues (Use the Legal Form)
| Issue | Ask yourself | Evidence | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defamation | Does it state false facts that seriously harm my reputation? | Records proving falsity; evidence of harm | Legal removal form |
| Privacy / GDPR | Does it contain personal data about an identifiable person? | The data and who it concerns | Legal form — see GDPR guide |
| Extortion | Is the review linked to a demand for money, refunds or freebies? | Messages, emails, call notes | Extortion form |
| Court order | Has a court ruled the content unlawful? | The order | Legal form |
More detail: legal Google review removal and when a review becomes a legal case.
5. What Is Not a Policy Violation
- Honest negative opinions, even harsh ones.
- Complaints about price, taste, waiting times or staff manner.
- Reviews you think are unfair but that describe a real visit.
- Star-only ratings from real customers.
For these, use our reply templates and ethical strategies to push reviews down.
After the Checklist: What to Do Next
- Report using the category you identified.
- Track the result in the review management tool.
- Appeal once with your evidence if rejected — see appeal wording that works.
- Escalate through the legal or extortion forms where relevant.
- Get help if it’s still up — compare service vs DIY.
What Review Removal Looks Like
Before-and-after results from ReviewsEraser clients.
See more results in our review removal case studies.
Google Review Policy Violations Checklist: FAQs
What are Google’s review policy violations?
The main groups are deceptive content (fake engagement, conflicts of interest, impersonation), inappropriate content (harassment, hate speech, threats, personal information, obscenity), low-quality content (off-topic, spam) and illegal content.
Which violation should I report if several apply?
Choose the one you can prove most clearly.
Is a review from an ex-employee a violation?
Yes, it is a conflict of interest.
Is a 1-star review without text a violation?
Not by itself. It may be removable if it is fake or from a conflict of interest.
What if Google says there is no violation?
Appeal once with evidence, or consider a legal route. See why your flag didn’t work.
Can you check my review against the policy?
Yes. Send us the link for a free assessment.
Found a violation? We’ll get it removed.
Usually within 96 hours, fixed price per review, 100% money-back guarantee.