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Yelp Website Accused of Extortion -- More Examples of Corrupt Review Sites

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mouser:
This is the ugly side of review sites and of scrambling to get content into top positions in search engines.

The plaintiff claims that Yelp sales staff then began calling the hospital frequently with “high-pressure” tactics promising to move or delete negative reviews in exchange for purchasing a one-year advertising contract. The site also allegedly promised to ensure that negative reviews wouldn’t appear in Google or other search engine results.
...
During interviews with dozens of business owners over a span of several months, six people told this newspaper that Yelp sales representatives promised to move or remove negative reviews if their business would advertise. In another six instances, positive reviews disappeared — or negative ones appeared — after owners declined to advertise.
...
Because they were often asked to advertise soon after receiving negative reviews, many of these business owners believe Yelp employees use such reviews as sales leads. Several, including John, even suspect Yelp employees of writing them. Indeed, Yelp does pay some employees to write reviews of businesses that are solicited for advertising. And in at least one documented instance, a business owner who refused to advertise subsequently received a negative review from a Yelp employee.

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http://www.eastbayexpress.com/eastbay/yelp-and-the-business-of-extortion-20/Content?oid=1176635
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/02/yelp-sued-for-alleged-extortion

Eóin:
Not shocking but very disappointing :(

A funny comment on the wired.com writeup:

Blackmail? It’s a premium member ‘feature’; paying a little extra to have negative reviews moderated down… What’s wrong with that? It’s completely legal and part of the free market.
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Me suspects a troll.

Deozaan:
Welp, I guess that's the end of Yelp.

mouser:
I guess that's the end of Yelp.
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oh to be so young and full of hope..

allow me to present you with some alternative remedies:

* find a scapegoat at the company, fire them; all is forgotten and forgiven.
* replace the company ceo; all is forgotten and forgiven.
* change the company name; all is forgotten and forgiven.
* hire pr firm to explain how company has learned its lesson; all is forgotten and forgiven.
* i could go on..

JavaJones:
Interesting and not surprising. The company I work for has had to deal with some Yelp schiestyness as well. Fun!

The sad thing is I think Yelp *could* be a great resource. Heck it *is* sometimes, I use it semi-regularly myself, and posted a bunch of links to business profiles on it in my blog recently. But stuff like this worries me...

- Oshyan

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