Did you know that Yelp censors reviews?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amazon does the same thing. I'd just finished grad school and was eager to read something for fun. I like sci fi/fantasy and based on overwhelming reviews, I got this series called Ruin Mist. The first book was edited really poorly (lots of misspellings or words used incorrectly - like 'beared' instead of 'bared'). I gave the second book in the series a shot only to discover 3/4s of it was a repeat of the first book. Not just re-hashing or reviewing, it was VERBATIM. I was so pissed I contacted Amazon. They refunded not just the purchase cost but also shipping. I then wrote reviews of the two books. Nothing I wrote was incorrect, inflammatory or insulting. It was fact based yet, my reviews were removed because "someone" complained I had violated the terms of feedback policy. I later learned the author, Robert Stanek, was notorious for writing his own positive reviews and getting negative reviews squashed http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/book-promotion/ethical-self-promotion/ . What an asshole.

This is pretty funny. I think one of those "Real Housewives" tried to promote her own book on some online forum but forgot to logout as herself, so it was very apparent that she was the one doing the review.

Jill Zarin.

[Anonymous]

DH owned a restaurant and it's also possible to pay extra as a business to highlight certain reviews and downplay others. Forget how it works, but businesses can manipulate the system.

[Anonymous]

A good friend owns a small business. Yelp reguarly calls him to tell him he can basically subscribe to their service. He always refuses. Mysteriously, his good reviews seem to disappear and more negative reviews seem to remain. It is a racket and I purposely avoid using Yelp. It makes me really angry that they operate this way. If I didn't know and trust my friend I wouldn't believe it.

[Anonymous]

It is a regulation neverland so they can't be trusted either way and all the companies are trying to find ways to regulate the posts.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57604148-93/companies-to-pay-$350000-fine-over-fake-online-reviews/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A good friend owns a small business. Yelp reguarly calls him to tell him he can basically subscribe to their service. He always refuses. Mysteriously, his good reviews seem to disappear and more negative reviews seem to remain. It is a racket and I purposely avoid using Yelp. It makes me really angry that they operate this way. If I didn't know and trust my friend I wouldn't believe it.

As a business owner I can vouch for this. I've got 5 great reviews that were moved out of sight after I declined signing up with yelp.

[Anonymous]

My review has not only been placed in the "not currently recommended" review section, but now I am completely blocked from posting a review on a business that I am currently working with to finish a job I have paid for. The business is working with me to resolve the issues. My review was thoughtful, honest and respectful, yet I am being censored. The worst part about all of this is that I chose this business based on the yelp reviews. I contacted yelp and was told that the "software" determines what is within the "guidelines", which I did read and found no reason for my review to be censored.