A product review warning has appeared on the Account Health (アカウント健全性) page in Seller Central, but you can't tell what was wrong with how you requested reviews or communicated with buyers. This article is for sellers in exactly that situation. We walk step by step through the first moves to make for each type of notice, the prohibited practices Amazon officially lists, how to check your own operations (including outside contractors), the officially approved ways to request reviews, how to handle buyers after a negative review, and how to structure an appeal.
The rules behind the warning: which policies apply and how serious the consequences can be
A product review warning is issued when Amazon determines that actions by a seller or people connected to the seller violate its review rules. At the core of these rules is the Customer Reviews policy (カスタマーレビューポリシー) in Seller Central Help. In the list of policies covered by the Account Health Rating, it appears under the name "Customer Product Reviews Policy" (購入者の商品レビューポリシー), and the same list also includes the Communication Guidelines (コミュニケーションに関するガイドライン), which govern review request messages.
This article is written for sellers on Amazon Japan and is based on Seller Central Help, Amazon.co.jp customer help, and materials published by Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency, as of September 2026. Policies and on-screen labels can change, so please also check your actual notices and the latest Help content.
Actions Amazon may take when it determines manipulation was intentional
The Customer Reviews policy for Japan states that no exceptions are made for violations, and lists actions such as the following that Amazon may take when it detects intentional manipulation (in each case, the policy notes that the actions are not limited to these).
- Immediate and permanent withdrawal of selling privileges, and withholding of payouts
- Removal of all reviews for the product, and restrictions on accepting future reviews and ratings
- Permanent delisting of products
- Legal action, such as lawsuits and referrals to civil and criminal law enforcement authorities
- Public disclosure of the seller's name and other details
In addition, the Help page for the Account Health Rating (AHR) explicitly lists "soliciting product reviews, or including package inserts (flyers) that violate policy" as an example of Critical (重大) severity. Even a single Critical violation can lead to suspension, and the score automatically drops to 0 (red). However, Amazon explains that there is a three-day grace period before suspension (covered below). On the other hand, the examples in the official Help do not specify which severity level individual actions, such as reviews written by family members or the timing of refunds, fall under. The number of points deducted for each violation isn't shown on screen either, so rather than guessing, check the "Account Health Rating impact" column (アカウント健全性評価への影響度) on the Product Policy Compliance (商品規約の遵守) page (repeat-violation labels also appear in this column). How the score works is covered in detail in how to review your Account Health score.
Furthermore, violations by business partners, employees, or third-party agencies can lead to enforcement action, even if the seller was unaware of them or did not consent. Keep in mind that even when something was done by an outsourced account management service or a packaging contractor, simply explaining that "we didn't instruct them to do it" is unlikely to resolve the issue.
Identifying the type of notice: what to do first in each situation
Even with the same "review issue," which screen you open first and how urgently you need to act depend on whether a warning has simply appeared, a product has been removed, or your account has been suspended.
| Situation | Main screens to check | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| A warning appeared in Account Health | Performance (パフォーマンス) > Account Health; Performance Notifications (パフォーマンス通知) | Write down the policy name, the affected products, and the requested action; take stock of your touchpoints; and decide whether to respond with a dispute, an appeal, or corrective action |
| A specific ASIN was removed from listing | Product Policy Compliance; inactive listings in Manage Inventory | Check the scope, including related products, and decide whether to appeal or fix the listing |
| A Critical violation dropped your score to 0 (red) | Account Health page, email, Notification Preferences (通知設定) | Verify the facts and set up your contact arrangements at the same time, so that you can start on the requested action (such as an appeal or corrective action) within the three-day grace period |
| Your account was suspended | Reactivate your account (出品用アカウントの再開) at the top of Account Health, or the instructions in the banner at the top of the page (an appeal from Product Policy Compliance) | Appeal with the facts, the cause, and your corrective actions all laid out |
What to write down from the notice
The subject line and wording of notices vary depending on the time and the case. Regardless of the exact wording, writing down the following items will make it easier to move forward with your fact-checking and your appeal.
Items to write down from the notice
- The date of the notice and where it appeared (Account Health, Performance Notifications, or email)
- The policy name stated
- The affected products (ASIN/SKU) and whether related products are included
- The severity, and whether there is a repeat-violation label
- The action requested, and whether a deadline is stated
If it's judged a Critical violation, make acting within the three-day grace period your top priority
When a Critical violation is detected, you are notified on the Account Health page and by email, and Amazon explains that there is a three-day grace period before suspension. During this period, an Account Health specialist may call you, so check in Notification Preferences that your emergency contact phone number is up to date, and make sure someone is available to answer the phone. For help organizing what to tell them, see preparing before you contact Account Health Support.
According to Help, if you address a Critical violation within three days, your account will not be suspended. The explanation for cases where repeat violations reach the limit also states that if you don't respond within three days, your account will be suspended until you finish submitting an appeal on the Product Policy Compliance dashboard. Rather than missing the deadline while trying to perfect your plan of action from the start, make it your top priority to first stop the problematic request method (package insert cards, message templates, automated sending by third-party apps, and so on), confirm the facts, and begin the action requested in the notice and on the Account Health page before the deadline.
How repeated violations of the same policy are treated
If violations of the same policy reach the limit within 180 days, your account may be suspended immediately, and for high-severity violations the limit may be as low as two. Even a violation that disappeared from the dashboard after an appeal was approved may still count for 180 days, unless it was approved through a dispute arguing that the determination was wrong. Even if the warning disappears, don't go back to the same request method.
Checking Amazon's official prohibited examples against each part of your operations
Here are the violation examples listed in the Customer Reviews policy and on the "Customer Reviews" (カスタマーレビュー) Help page (in each case, not an exhaustive list), rearranged by area of a seller's operations.
| Area of operations | Violation examples officially listed | Easy-to-miss points |
|---|---|---|
| Package inserts | Placing requests for positive reviews, or incentives in exchange for reviews, in product packaging or shipping boxes | The wording on cards whose printing was outsourced |
| Review requests | Asking only satisfied buyers for reviews and directing dissatisfied buyers to a separate channel | This includes cases where the buyer contacted you to say they were satisfied |
| Refunds and reimbursements | Refunding or reimbursing buyers after they post a review; asking buyers to change or remove a review before or after a refund | This includes reimbursement through payment methods outside Amazon |
| Outside services | Asking third parties to write reviews in exchange for compensation; offering free or discounted products tied to reviews through review clubs and similar services | This includes social media groups and services that sell reviews |
| Family and affiliates | Family members or employees reviewing your products or competitors' products; using a buyer's account to post or change reviews | Reviews written as a favor also count |
| Review votes | Manipulating "Helpful," "Report," and similar functions on reviews of your own or competitors' products | Whether staff are in the habit of voting internally |
| Variations | Grouping products into variations to pool reviews and inflate star ratings | Merging items that are not the same core product |
| Requests to change or remove reviews | The seller asking for a review to be changed or removed | You can't ask even in the context of a return or replacement |
On the other hand, asking buyers who purchased a product on Amazon for a review is itself permitted (all review policies still apply in that case). The question is not "whether you ask," but "whom you ask, what you offer in exchange, and how you ask."
What counts as "compensation," and who may not write reviews
Seller Central's Q&A states explicitly that money, gift cards, discounts, refunds, replacements, and future benefits are all prohibited as incentives for reviews or seller feedback. Assume that tying things like "a coupon for your next purchase," "a free bonus accessory," or "warranty registration" to posting a review can also fall into these categories. The exception is reviews of products provided free of charge through programs run by Amazon, such as Amazon Vine and Amazon Brand Mission.
In addition to the seller themselves, family members, close friends, employees, and anyone with a financial interest in the seller's business may not write reviews of the seller's products or negative reviews of competing products. Even reviews written with good intentions may be treated as a violation on the seller's part.
Practices unlikely to be a problem under Japan's stealth marketing rules can still violate Amazon's policies
Since October 1, 2023, stealth marketing, meaning advertising that conceals the fact that it is advertising, has been a violation of Japan's Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. The regulation applies to businesses acting as advertisers, and online review posts can also fall within its scope. Setting the Consumer Affairs Agency's Q&A classifications side by side with Amazon's policy gives the following.
| Example practice | Classification in the Consumer Affairs Agency Q&A (summary) | Amazon's policy |
|---|---|---|
| Giving a coupon for the next purchase on condition of posting a review (with no instructions on content) | Normally not a "representation by a business operator" | Prohibited as a review in exchange for compensation |
| Making 5 stars or a recommending comment a condition | A "representation by a business operator" | Prohibited |
| Asking buyers to revise their impressions in a way that favors your business | The revised review is a "representation by a business operator" | Prohibited as a request to change a review |
| Asking for statements that are contrary to objective fact to be corrected | Not, on that basis alone, a "representation by a business operator" | Sellers may not request changes; report it using "Report" (レポート) |
The trap is that bringing a "review incentive" from another marketplace or your own website into Amazon package inserts or messages violates Amazon's policy, separately from how it's assessed under the stealth marketing rules. This table is our own comparison of published materials; for the legal assessment of any specific practice, consult a lawyer or other professional.
Taking stock of your touchpoints: how to investigate after a warning
Once you've written down what the notice says, list every touchpoint in your business that could relate to reviews, and use your records to confirm where the problem lay.
STEP 1. Identify every touchpoint that relates to reviews
What to take stock of
- How you've been using Request a Review (レビューをリクエストする)
- Your message templates and the messages you actually sent
- Automated sending settings in third-party apps or via the API
- Package insert cards, instruction manuals, package labels, and where any QR codes lead
- Whether inventory already shipped to FBA contains problematic inserts (if it does, also cover how you'll handle it in your plan of action)
- Announcements on social media or your own website, and instructions to and reports from agencies
- Refund and replacement records (whether they coincide with the timing of reviews)
- The history of creating and merging variations
- Reviews and votes from the accounts of employees, family members, or acquaintances
STEP 2. Preserve your records, then stop problematic practices
For each touchpoint, make a list of who sent what, when, and by what means. For package insert cards, that means the wording of each version and the period it was used; for messages, the change history of your templates; for contractors, what you asked them to do and what they actually did. Stop any practice that may constitute a violation immediately, but don't delete the wording, photos, or sending records from before you stopped; keep them. If you can't show what you changed and when, your explanation of corrective action won't be persuasive.
How Amazon monitors review activity
Amazon's official website explains that machine learning models analyze thousands of data points, such as relationships with other accounts, sign-in activity, and review history, to detect risk. In addition, Amazon's community guidelines for buyers encourage buyers to report it if a gift card is enclosed with their order or they are asked to change a review in exchange for a refund. The content of your package insert cards and messages can reach Amazon through buyer reports. Judge your wording not by "whether it will be noticed," but by whether it complies with the policy.
How to investigate if you don't recognize the problem
Even if you believe you haven't made any such requests, use the detection factors described above as clues to identify what you can check on your side. The items below are examples of checks we've put together based on those factors. On the Seller Forums, an Amazon moderator advised sellers to also check whether employees or their family members might have written reviews as a favor.
- Whether family members or employees (including anyone who shares the same device or internet connection) have written reviews of your products or competitors' products
- Whether any orders were refunded or reimbursed after a review was posted
- Whether an agency or consultant carried out measures they didn't report to you
- Whether review request cards inserted by a manufacturer or another party remain in the boxes of products you sourced
Rethinking how you request reviews: officially approved methods
Amazon automatically sends review requests to buyers at no charge, so sellers don't actually need to request reviews on their own. If you do make additional requests, switching to officially approved methods is the foundation for preventing a recurrence.
| Method | Status | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Request a Review on the Order Details page | Recommended | From 5 to 30 days after the delivery date, once per order |
| Amazon Vine | Recommended (where available) | Check eligibility on the enrollment page and in Help, and the enrollment fee in the enrollment tool |
| Requests through Buyer-Seller Messaging (マーケットプレイス・メッセージ管理) | Permitted | Only if Request a Review has not been used for that order; once, with neutral wording only |
| Including a neutral review request card in the package | Permitted | No compensation, no requests for positive ratings, no attempts to head off negative reviews, and no directing buyers elsewhere |
The two "Permitted" methods are conditional on strict compliance with the review policies, the selling policies, and the communication policies. Right after receiving a warning, pausing any custom wording and reviewing it will reduce the situations where you're unsure what's allowed.
Conditions for Request a Review
A single click sends requests for both a product review and seller feedback. The wording is standardized and automatically translated into the language the buyer has set. Amazon states that if you send an additional request after one has already been sent on your behalf, it is considered an "unsolicited message" and becomes subject to the buyer's opt-out settings.
Rules for messages and package inserts
Messages initiated by the seller ("permitted proactive messages," 許可された事前メッセージ) must be sent within 30 days of order completion, include the 17-digit order number, and be written in the language the buyer has specified. The Communication Guidelines state that the following are not included in permitted proactive messages.
- Messages that only say thank you or only offer support
- Marketing or promotions (including coupons)
- Wording that encourages positive reviews (including offers of compensation or future benefits)
- Requests to remove or update existing reviews, requests made only to satisfied buyers, and repeated requests for the same order
You also can't include external links (other than secure links needed to complete the order or links to Amazon), email addresses, or phone numbers other than those of warranty providers, carriers, or manufacturers. Failing to comply can lead to restrictions on using message templates or a temporary suspension of selling privileges, so if you send messages automatically through a third-party app, open every template and sending condition and check them all at least once.
In package inserts and on packaging, directing buyers to make purchases on external sites, or giving outside contact details (messaging apps or email) as a point of contact for inquiries, is also prohibited. You also can't include quotes from customer reviews or customer testimonials in product titles, product descriptions, images, or package inserts.
If you use Amazon Vine
The Amazon Vine program (Amazon Vine 先取りプログラム) provides product samples to selected customers (Vine members) to collect reviews, and products must ship through FBA. Amazon staff have stated on the Seller Forums that to participate, you must be a Professional seller, be the brand representative for a brand enrolled in Brand Registry, and have FBA products currently listed. Before enrolling, check the latest requirements on the enrollment page and in Help, and the enrollment fee shown in the enrollment tool. Vine reviews must also be neutral and fair, and Amazon does not guarantee the number or content of reviews.
Rethinking buyer communications: negative reviews, refunds, and replacements
Review problems can also arise from how you respond to buyers who left negative reviews. The more a low rating rattles you, the more important it is to return to the following principles.
Contact buyers only through Buyer-Seller Messaging. Don't bring up changing or removing reviews. Don't tie refunds or replacements to whether a buyer has left a review or what it says.
Using external channels such as email, phone, social media, or messaging apps for communications, including responses to negative reviews, is prohibited. The same goes for asking for a buyer's contact details or trying to move the conversation outside Amazon's messaging. For handling buyer information in general, also see how to review your handling of buyer information.
Offer refunds and replacements as a way to resolve the problem
Sellers may offer a refund to resolve a buyer's problem, but asking the buyer to update their review when issuing a refund is prohibited. At the same time, the prohibited examples in Help include providing a refund or reimbursement after a buyer writes a review, and Amazon has not officially spelled out where the line falls between that and a refund made to resolve a problem. Make it a firm rule never to mention reviews at all, not to change how you respond based on whether a buyer left a review or what it says, and to record the reason for your response (an initial defect, damage in transit, and so on).
Problem wording and how to rewrite it
The example phrases in the following table were written by us; they are not wording from Amazon's official Help.
| Problem wording (example) | Why it's a problem | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| "If anything isn't to your satisfaction, please contact us first before writing a review." | It tries to head off negative reviews in advance | Don't link reviews with inquiries |
| "It would really encourage us if you could support us with 5 stars." | It steers buyers toward high ratings | Make it a neutral request that doesn't mention ratings, or leave it to Request a Review |
| "Your refund has been completed. If you don't mind, please revise your review." | It combines a refund with a request to update a review | Only tell the buyer that the refund is complete |
| "For any future inquiries, please email us directly at our store address (xxx@xxx)." | It steers buyers to an external contact channel | Keep the entire exchange within Buyer-Seller Messaging |
Below is a sample message offering a solution when a buyer has contacted you about a product defect, or when you can identify the order from seller feedback or similar. It doesn't mention reviews and only offers to resolve the problem (enter the actual 17-digit order number). If you initiate the contact, you must do so within 30 days of order completion. When you can't identify the order, avoid guessing who the buyer is from their name or other details and contacting them, and avoid offering refunds only to buyers who wrote reviews; handle the same defect by the same standard.
Order number: XXX-XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX
We're sorry to hear that there was a problem with the item you ordered, and we apologize for the inconvenience. We can either send you a replacement or issue a refund. Please let us know which you would prefer by replying to this message.
Handling unfair reviews and demands that use a review as leverage
Report reviews you believe violate the guidelines using "Report" below the review. Removal is at Amazon's discretion, and reviews that follow the guidelines won't be removed even if they're negative. If seller feedback contains comments about the product itself, use Request Removal (評価の削除をリクエスト) (for the procedure, see steps for requesting removal of seller feedback).
Buyers who hint at a negative review to get a refund or replacement, and parties trying to sell you marketing services, can be reported using "Report fraud or violations" (不正または違反の報告) on the Account Health dashboard. If you accept such offers, you'll also be held responsible. For how to keep records when you suspect an attack by a competitor, see keeping records and reporting suspected harassment.
How to put together your appeal and plan of action
Responding to warnings that haven't led to suspension
Even if your account hasn't been suspended, violations remain on the dashboard. According to Help, a violation is removed when, for example, a dispute arguing that the determination was wrong is approved, an appeal is approved and the violation is judged unintentional, you take corrective action to resolve the violation, or 180 days have passed since it was added to the dashboard and it becomes eligible for removal. Simply closing the listing or removing it from inventory won't make it disappear. Choose your response based on what your investigation found, such as a dispute if you believe the determination is wrong, or an appeal showing the cause and corrective action if you found involvement, and check the action requested for the relevant violation on the Account Health page.
Where to appeal a suspension or listing removal
If your account has been suspended, click Reactivate your account at the top of Account Health and follow the on-screen instructions to answer questions, confirm the violations, and submit supporting documents. When repeat violations reach the limit, Amazon explains that you should follow the steps in the banner at the top of the Account Health page and appeal from the Product Policy Compliance dashboard. If you're asked for additional information, submit it through View Account Health requests (アカウント健全性の要請を見る). If a listing has been removed, check the details on the Product Policy Compliance tab or in Performance Notifications, then either appeal or fix the listing. Help says a response takes up to about two days, but an individual case won't necessarily be resolved within that time. The overall process is laid out in the steps from account suspension to a reinstatement appeal.
Writing in line with Amazon's official guidelines
Help asks that appeals be clear, concise, factual, and specific; that they focus on the facts that led to the problem rather than an introduction of your company; that they avoid emotional language; and that they present the root cause and the actions you took to address it, along with the dates the changes were made and any relevant documents. With review violations, the stated cause often stops at "the staff member lacked knowledge." Digging deeper into why operations could run with that knowledge gap (for example, there were no rules in the instructions to contractors, or no procedure for checking wording before it went out) makes your countermeasures more concrete. For how to structure it, also see how to build a plan of action.
Sample text if involvement was found (hypothetical example)
The following sample assumes a situation in which package insert cards created by an outsourced design firm offered a benefit in exchange for reviews. It is a hypothetical example, not a real case, so rewrite it to match your own facts and dates.
The package insert card for the affected product included wording that told buyers who posted a review about a benefit they could use on their next purchase. The wording was created by an outside design firm, and we had no procedure for checking the wording against the Customer Reviews policy before printing. This is the root cause.
On [date], we stopped including the card and removed it from our own inventory and from products awaiting shipment. For the [number] units already shipped to FBA, we requested their return on [date]; once they arrive, we will remove the cards and then send the units back in.
To prevent recurrence, we have changed our procedures so that a manager checks the wording of package inserts and messages against the policy and keeps a record before they are used, and we have added policy compliance to our agreements with contractors. Going forward, we will request reviews only through the Request a Review feature.
The handling of FBA inventory here is just one example. Describe your actual quantities and the actions you took, and check how to handle inventory in the guidance in Seller Central.
How to structure your appeal if you don't recognize the violation
If you found no involvement, writing in the order of "the scope you checked (products, period, and policy)," "how you checked (whom you interviewed and which records you reviewed)," "the results (keeping what you found separate from what you did not find)," and "preventive measures going forward" conveys how you investigated. Avoid blaming third parties based on speculation, and don't flatly state that something "didn't happen" when you haven't verified it.
Check the notice for how funds and inventory will be handled
The policy lists withholding of payouts as one possible action. Whether you need to have FBA inventory returned or disposed of during a suspension, and by when, should be confirmed in the notice you received and in the guidance in Seller Central. Don't go ahead with returns or disposal on your own judgment; contact Seller Support about anything you're unsure of.
What not to do, and internal rules to prevent recurrence
Responses to avoid
- Opening another account to keep selling: Amazon's selling policies state that you may maintain only one account for each region where you sell, unless you have a legitimate business reason and all of your accounts are in good standing, and that if any account has a problem, all of your accounts may be suspended. Amazon also states that it will suspend accounts immediately, regardless of score, when fraudulent activity, including attempts to circumvent Amazon's systems, is suspected. Selling from a new account doesn't solve anything and makes the problem bigger (for related accounts, see what to sort out when Amazon links your accounts).
- Negotiating with buyers to get low reviews removed: As noted above, this is prohibited regardless of the channel.
- Gathering reviews to offset low ones: Asking people close to you, or offering compensation for reviews, is itself listed as a violation.
- Stopping at deleting the listing: As noted above, that alone won't remove the violation from the dashboard.
- Altering documents or giving explanations that don't match the facts: Suspected deceptive conduct is also grounds for immediate suspension regardless of your score.
Operating rules to prevent recurrence
Rules to set internally
- Rely primarily on Amazon's automated requests and Request a Review for review requests
- Before use, have a manager check the wording of package inserts and messages against the policy and keep a record
- Tell employees and their families not to review or vote on your products or competitors' products
- Include items in your instructions to contractors requiring policy compliance and reports on what they did
- Once a month, confirm your emergency contact phone number and who is available to answer it
Amazon recommends that you also make your business partners, employees, and outside partners aware of its policies. Putting your rules in writing, sharing them, and recording the date and the people you shared them with makes it easier to explain them as a measure to prevent recurrence.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is it prohibited to ask buyers for reviews at all?
A. No. Asking buyers who purchased on Amazon for a review is itself permitted. What violates the rules are methods such as offering compensation in exchange, asking only satisfied buyers, asking for high ratings, or asking repeatedly for the same order.
Q. A family member wrote a review on their own initiative. Am I responsible as the seller?
A. Reviews by family members or employees are among the officially listed violation examples. The policy also states that violations by employees, business partners, and others can lead to enforcement action even if the seller was unaware of them. Assume that "I didn't know" alone won't be a sufficient explanation. Confirm the facts, and lay out specifically the scope of what you checked, what you found, and how you'll communicate the rules going forward.
Q. Do the same rules apply to requesting seller feedback (your store rating)?
A. Yes. Offering money, gift cards, discounts, refunds, replacements, or future benefits as incentives for seller feedback is also prohibited. Amazon's selling policies also prohibit forcing buyers to leave feedback, leaving feedback on your own transactions, and paying to have feedback removed. Request a Review sends requests for both a product review and seller feedback, so you can handle feedback requests through this feature too.
Q. Can I use the Early Reviewer Program?
A. The Early Reviewer Program (早期レビュー取得プログラム) is named in the Customer Reviews policy as an example of Amazon requesting reviews, but you'll need to check Help to see whether it's currently offered as something sellers can sign up for. For now, plan on relying primarily on Request a Review and Amazon Vine.
Summary
A product review warning is a sign that some of your review request methods or buyer communications are still out of line with Amazon's rules.
- Identify the type of notice, and if it's a Critical violation, make responding within three days and checking your emergency contact your top priority
- Use your records to take stock of all your touchpoints, from package inserts, messages, and refunds to contractors, reviews by people close to you, and FBA inventory
- Rely primarily on Amazon's automated requests and Request a Review for review requests
- Handle buyer communications through Buyer-Seller Messaging, and don't tie refunds or replacements to reviews
- Respond even to pre-suspension warnings based on what your investigation finds, and in appeals, show specifically how you investigated and the corrective actions and preventive measures that address the root cause
Amazon's review rules are stricter in some respects than the standards of Japan's stealth marketing regulations, and sellers are also responsible for the actions of their employees and contractors. If you're unsure how to read a notice or how to proceed, consider organizing the facts and consulting a specialist early.
Need help with a product review policy violation?
We'll assess your prospects for reinstatement at no cost. We also accept consultations about warnings before a suspension. Consultations are free, as often as you need.
Free consultation, 24/7 *This article provides a general explanation. The appropriate response in individual cases depends on the circumstances.
