Google updated its Business Profile review policy twice in April 2026. Review gating is now actively enforced, with a penalty ladder that can pause new reviews, pull down your real ones, and stamp a public warning on your profile. The FTC's 2024 fake reviews rule sits above all of that, with civil penalties up to $51,744 per violation. Here's what changed, what it can actually cost your business, and the three honest moves that work better than gating ever did.