# What review gating is and why it is banned

*Updated 2026-11-13 · https://roovello.com/guides/review-gating-explained*

Review gating is screening customers before asking for a public review: a survey, a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, or a staff judgment that sends happy customers to the review site and unhappy ones to a private form. It is prohibited by Google's review policies and, since October 2024, by the FTC's review rule as a form of review suppression. The fix is simple: ask everyone, the same way, and handle complaints in the reply.

## What gating looks like in practice

- A "How did we do?" email with two buttons, where only the happy button leads to a review site.
- A reputation-management tool that sends review links to customers who rated the service four or five stars on a private survey.
- Front-desk staff who hand out a review card to customers who seemed pleased.
- Asking the customer for feedback first, then sending the link only if the feedback was good.

## Why it is prohibited

Google's Business Profile policies have barred selectively soliciting positive reviews for years. The FTC's 2024 Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials made it federal: representing that displayed reviews are representative when negative reviews were suppressed, or soliciting in a way that suppresses them, is an unfair or deceptive practice with civil penalties available.

Beyond the law, gating produces a profile readers have learned to distrust: uniformly glowing, no replies, no texture. Honest mixed profiles with thoughtful replies convert better.

## What to do instead

Ask every customer with the same email at the same point after the service. If you want a private channel for problems, offer it in addition to the public link, in the same email, to everyone. Then answer negative public reviews quickly and specifically; that reply is read by far more people than the review.

## How RooVello prevents gating

Review Requests sends to every address on the list you upload or every receipt you BCC. There is no sentiment filter, no survey step and no way to pick recipients by expected rating. The emails never mention stars or a goal. Readers see the resulting reviews labeled "Invited by the business" next to the organic ones.

## Frequently asked

### Is a customer satisfaction survey review gating?

Not by itself. A survey becomes gating when its result decides who receives the public review link. Send the link to everyone and the survey is fine.

### Can I ask unhappy customers to contact me before reviewing?

You can invite everyone to contact you, in the same message that invites everyone to review. Routing only the unhappy ones away from the public link is gating.

### Are reputation-management tools that filter by rating legal?

A tool that sends public review links based on a private rating is doing the thing the FTC rule and Google's policy prohibit, and the business using it is responsible. Ask any vendor in writing how recipients are chosen.

## Related

- https://roovello.com/guides/how-to-ask-customers-for-reviews
- https://roovello.com/guides/ftc-fake-review-rule-explained
- https://roovello.com/guides/how-to-respond-to-negative-reviews