Court Rules in Favor of Yelp in Ratings Manipulation Suit
The ninth circuit appeals court ruled that Yelp was not extorting businesses and that it had the right to manipulate reviews as it saw fit.
For years Yelp has faced claims that it was demanding businesses pay for advertising, and when they refused — or couldn’t afford to pay — Yelp suppressed positive reviews. In 2010, several business owners filed a class action lawsuit against the online review site, accusing Yelp of extortion and manipulating reviews — or writing fake reviews outright.
Last week, the ninth circuit court of appeals dismissed the suit, stating that businesses did not have the right to positive reviews and Yelp has the right to include advertising as part of its business model.
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