How Commonplace is Leading the Charge Against Fake Engagement in Community Consultations

If you've been paying attention to the world of public consultations, you know the game is changing. What used to be a straight forward process of gathering community feedback has turned into a battleground where bots and bad actors can threaten the integrity of engagement.

"But we're taking a stand. At Commonplace, we're rewriting the rules of community engagement. With millions of responses gathered, we're building a platform that balances accessibility with ironclad trust.

Gaming the System: A Real Threat to Public Consultations

Recent news stories have highlighted how bots and auto-generated / AI users / campaigners have infiltrated public consultations, aiming to skew results and block initiatives.

Whether it’s infrastructure projects or social policy, these manipulations threaten the democratic process. That’s where Commonplace steps in...

By analysing 10 years of data, Commonplace has developed an understanding of both normal and irregular respondent behaviour. The result? A platform that doesn’t just collect feedback but helps to actively protects its integrity.

Soft Account Creation: The Trust / Engagement Balancing Act

Unlike other platforms, Commonplace doesn’t force respondents through clunky sign-ups. Instead, it operates a soft account creation process that’s designed to:

1. Maximise engagement and conversion rates by making it easy to respond.
2. Prioritise trust through robust verification.

Here’s how it works:

• Respondents don’t need to log in before starting a survey. Instead, they provide an email address at various points during the process.
• Email addresses are verified through a deliverability database to weed out errors and temporary accounts.
• Verification links confirm identities before responses are published.
• Over 90% of respondents provide email addresses, and fewer than 10% of contributions remain unverified. These safeguards make it easy for genuine users to participate while filtering out the noise.

Meet GamingAI: The Bot Hunter

Bots beware. Commonplace’s GamingAI is a cutting-edge solution for detecting and blocking suspicious activity. It analyses a range of browser-based and response-based metrics to flag behaviour that doesn’t pass the sniff test.

For example:

• Rapid, repeated submissions from a single user? Flagged.
• Suspiciously identical comments? Flagged.

And here’s the kicker: GamingAI doesn’t just block suspicious users. It notifies them and offers a manual review process. This ensures fairness while keeping bad actors out.

ModerationAI: Fighting Abuse in Real Time

GamingAI isn’t the only tech in Commonplace’s arsenal. ModerationAI keeps free-text responses clean, ensuring discussions stay respectful and on-topic.

Here’s how it works:

1. Every free-text answer is instantly screened for abusive language, profanity, or overly revealing personal details.
2. Most responses are automatically approved and published. The rest? Flagged for manual review by the Commonplace team during UK office hours.

Accountability and Transparency at Every Step

Commonplace doesn’t just stop at moderating content. Our Acceptable Use Policy sets clear guidelines for respondents, with strict consequences for violations, including:

• Temporary or permanent bans
• Removal or editing of content
• Legal action for severe breaches

These measures ensure the platform remains a space for genuine, constructive community dialogue!

Why Commonplace Stands Out

In a world where bots and trolls are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Commonplace has the tech, protection measures and policies to fight back. By prioritising accessibility and trust, it’s creating a safer, smarter, and more inclusive space for public consultations.

Whether you’re a council planning infrastructure projects or a developer seeking community feedback, Commonplace ensures your data is reliable and your process is resilient. The message is clear: engagement should be authentic, democratic, and untouchable.

Want to see what’s possible when technology meets integrity?

Book in for a demo!