Restricted and illegal content

Reviews referencing regulated goods, illegal activity, or content Google restricts outright — a narrow category, but an unambiguous one when it applies.

What Google says

“We don't allow content that facilitates the sale of regulated goods and services, or content that promotes illegal activity. Content that depicts or promotes dangerous or illegal acts will be removed.”

See Google's full content policy hub

Qualifies for removal

→Review solicits or offers regulated goods through your listing
→Review accuses the business of a crime while promoting how to obtain something illegal
→Review contains content Google restricts outright, including sexually explicit material
→Review is being used as a channel to advertise an unlawful service

Does NOT qualify

→A customer alleging you did something wrong, without any restricted content
→Strong accusations that stay within ordinary complaint territory

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The other policy categories

Reviews from people who were never customers Harassment and hate speech Conflict of interest Advertising or promoting competitors Off-topic content Personal information in a review Impersonation and misrepresented identity Factually false claims

Full breakdown: Google review policy violations explained · remove fake Google reviews · straight answers · by industry