Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2020
Yelp faces backlash over small-business fundraising page
Public backlash
Yelp faced backlash after teaming up with GoFundMe to raise money for small businesses. According to the source, some businesses had not been alerted about the fundraising page. The controversy centered on the fundraising effort conducted in partnership with GoFundMe, with the reported lack of advance notice to some businesses serving as the basis for the criticism directed at Yelp.
Source excerpt
Yelp teamed up with GoFundMe to raise money for small businesses but failed to alert some of the enterprises, resulting in backlash.
Criticism of review filtering and advertising practices
Yelp has been accused by some businesses of manipulating the presentation of reviews or using advertising sales tactics that pressure businesses to purchase services. The allegations include claims involving negative review visibility and the placement of competitors’ advertisements. Yelp has disputed the central claims and maintains that its recommendation software is intended to identify unreliable or biased content.
Fake reviews and review manipulation
The platform has faced fraudulent positive and negative reviews submitted by businesses, agents, or competitors. Yelp has responded with filtering systems, warnings, investigations, and other measures designed to detect coordinated manipulation.