Yelp to add “Racist Behavior” alert to business pages

Quantum Leap · Oct 8, 2020

New Consumer Alert on Yelp Takes Firm Stance Against Racism - Yelp

Update: To learn about the most commonly asked questions regarding our media-fueled Consumer Alerts, read more in our FAQ. At Yelp, we value diversity, inclusion and belonging, both internally and on our platform, which means we have a zero tolerance policy to racism. We know these values are...

blog.yelp.com

and here are some of the reactions:

Porygon · Oct 8, 2020

Entitled racists won't abuse this at all, no

blanton · Oct 8, 2020

I appreciate the intent but I don't see this going well for Yelp.

DGenerator · Oct 8, 2020

For the reasons those shitheads hate the move, I can't help but feel Kiwis/4chan raiders could take disadvantage of this stance, too.

It's not like Yelp has been used like this before!

Version 3.0 · Oct 8, 2020

Hmm. I'm afraid this will get misused. People like those you put in the OP may tag restaurants with it if they dare to say something political. And others will wear it proudly, becoming right-wing darlings like Chik-Fil-A or Hobby Lobby.

WrenchNinja · Oct 8, 2020

Sure is a pattern with all of the twitter users mad in the comments. I cant put my finger on whit- I mean what.

MrRob · Oct 8, 2020

This isn't going to end well. I understand the idea behind it but fear it's ripe for abuse.

Khanimus · Oct 8, 2020

100% can picture racist assholes projecting with this.

Steelrain · Oct 8, 2020

I'm part of a group that tries to raise awareness of racist-owned businesses in NC. This will help a lot.

Messofanego · Oct 9, 2020

It says they'll attach a news article, so the business must have got a lot of negative attention already. Like if they start labelling Chick Fil A for homophobic behaviour, there can be many sources to attach as evidence.

Bishop89 · Oct 9, 2020

Comments section should be a good way to out racists

henhowc · Oct 9, 2020

I think its fine as long as its not based on user reports?

Quantum Leap · Oct 9, 2020

I can't believe conservatives are actually comparing this to Black Mirror/China, it's a business not a person.

SirFritz · Oct 9, 2020

Terrorism?

Can't think of any non racist reason to be against this.

hateradio · Oct 9, 2020

Why is it always white people who don't believe in racism? 🤔

Catshade · Oct 9, 2020

I wish there's an unofficial Facebook or Twitter add-on that can do this sort of thing...

Deleted member 14377 · Oct 9, 2020

What's to stop white supremacist's from "review bombing" let's say a local black owned business for being "racist toward white people". Or toward Asians and vice versa?

fundogmo · Oct 9, 2020

MrRob said:
This isn't going to end well. I understand the idea behind it but fear it's ripe for abuse.

That's my trepidation too.

People get disproportionately angry at restaurants for a variety of petty reasons. I can see far more petulent white people using it to cry wolf than it's original intension.

Staf · Oct 9, 2020

This is going to backfire

L Thammy · Oct 9, 2020

hateradio said:
Why is it always white people who don't believe in racism? 🤔

I assume those are the same ones who feel that racism is aimed primarily at white people.

Messofanego · Oct 9, 2020

Frecklestein said:
What's to stop white supremacist's from "review bombing" let's say a local black owned business for being "racist toward white people". Or toward Asians and vice versa?

Racists could do that before this came about, and would still be laughed at because there's no evidence.

Rover · Oct 9, 2020

I like this idea, except that as far as I know, Yelp's business model is more or less "reputation management" and I get the feeling that they will give racist businesses an opportunity to pay their way out of the label.

leder · Oct 9, 2020

This may sound good on paper, but it's just another move for Yelp to extort money from small business owners. Also I'm sure like 99% of the reports are going to be from Karens when a non white worker is being "uppity".

DiipuSurotu · Oct 9, 2020

Porygon said:
Entitled racists won't abuse this at all, no

blanton said:
I appreciate the intent but I don't see this going well for Yelp.

DGenerator said:
For the reasons those shitheads hate the move, I can't help but feel Kiwis/4chan raiders could take disadvantage of this stance, too.

It's not like Yelp has been used like this before!

Version 3.0 said:
Hmm. I'm afraid this will get misused. People like those you put in the OP may tag restaurants with it if they dare to say something political. And others will wear it proudly, becoming right-wing darlings like Chik-Fil-A or Hobby Lobby.

MrRob said:
This isn't going to end well. I understand the idea behind it but fear it's ripe for abuse.

Khanimus said:
100% can picture racist assholes projecting with this.

Frecklestein said:
What's to stop white supremacist's from "review bombing" let's say a local black owned business for being "racist toward white people". Or toward Asians and vice versa?

fundogmo said:
That's my trepidation too.

People get disproportionately angry at restaurants for a variety of petty reasons. I can see far more petulent white people using it to cry wolf than it's original intension.

Staf said:
This is going to backfire

Read the article!!

Messofanego said:
It says they'll attach a news article, so the business must have got a lot of negative attention already. Like if they start labelling Chick Fil A for homophobic behaviour, there can be many sources to attach as evidence.

henhowc said:
I think its fine as long as its not based on user reports?

This 👆

Messofanego · Oct 9, 2020

There is a lot of cynicism here that to me reads like defeatism, rather than constructive. We shouldn't be scared of racists. Whether execution of this policy is effective or not, I praise Yelp for doing material action against racism rather than just performing by putting a black square on their social media.

Kwigo · Oct 9, 2020

That's a nice move from Yelp!

leder · Oct 9, 2020

DiipuSurotu said:
Read the article!!

This 👆

This doesn't make me feel any better about it. Is shit like OAN or The Blaze (or even good ol' America's #1 news network Fox) going to be accepted? You run into the same issue that facebook has created for itself (and is handling horribly). Unfortunately there are many news outlets that are barely a step above reddit trolls.

Software Update · Oct 9, 2020

I fully expect yelp to delete those warnings if businesses pay them, like how yelp already makes money by manipulating the reviews of businesses who pay yelp for advertising (as well as the ones who refuse to pay). Don't buy into the marketing.

Tawpgun · Oct 9, 2020

DGenerator said:
For the reasons those shitheads hate the move, I can't help but feel Kiwis/4chan raiders could take disadvantage of this stance, too.

It's not like Yelp has been used like this before!

Yeah this was my first thoughts.

Yelp can be abused a lot.

Besides you could go to a chinese restaurant as a white person, feel that you didn't get the same attention as an asian couple, and flag them as racist.

DiipuSurotu · Oct 9, 2020

Tawpgun said:
Yeah this was my first thoughts.

Yelp can be abused a lot.

Besides you could go to a chinese restaurant as a white person, feel that you didn't get the same attention as an asian couple, and flag them as racist.

Again, read the article. You can't flag a restaurant as racist. Yelp is the one who will do the flagging.

Tawpgun · Oct 9, 2020

DiipuSurotu said:
Again, read the article. You can't flag a restaurant as racist. Yelp is the one who will do the flagging.

Damn ya got me. In that case I guess ill take a wait and see approach

I just really don't like things like yelp because people often complain about the dumbest things.

Ravelle · Oct 9, 2020

Tawpgun said:
Damn ya got me. In that case I guess ill take a wait and see approach

I just really don't like things like yelp because people often complain about the dumbest things.

I wonder how many people actually check yelp for reviews because its usually just used for complains, in my area it's usually reccomendations from family and friends and if not it's picking a restaurant and hope for the best.

Spinluck · Oct 9, 2020

Every place/app should have this. (Airbnb, real estate offices, etc).

You guys turning this into a bad thing is probably why that will never happen.

Read the article guys before you start playing 4D chest in your head over what racist will "try" and do.

We need one for discrimination against LGBTQ folks to but this is a great first step.

smurfx · Oct 9, 2020

Spinluck said:
Every place/app should have this. (Airbnb, real estate offices, etc).

You guys turning this into a bad thing is probably why that will never happen.

Read the article guys before you start playing 4D chest in your head over what racist will "try" and do.

We need one for discrimination against LGBTQ folks to but this is a great first step.

yelp isn't exactly known for being friendly to businesses that don't give them money. they should definitely be watched and they should definitely not be allowed to take money in exchange for removing the warning.

Deleted member 4461 · Oct 9, 2020

Terrible idea. I assure you that reviews will already tell you, if you're looking for it.

This is just a siren. An easily-abused siren.

whatsinaname · Oct 9, 2020

Eh, seems like a good idea but I don't trust Yelp. The cynical view is that they now have a good mechanism to 'righteously' block a bunch of negative reviews. Then have a 'process' which may or may not, once the anger has died down, 'PR' away those reviews. Like, what counts as news articles/proof? Most instances are people capturing videos or posting tweets.

captive · Oct 9, 2020

i can't wait to see how this is abused by racists.

DiipuSurotu · Oct 9, 2020

captive said:
i can't wait to see how this is abused by racists.

How?

Spinluck · Oct 9, 2020

smurfx said:
yelp isn't exactly known for being friendly to businesses that don't give them money. they should definitely be watched and they should definitely not be allowed to take money in exchange for removing the warning.

Can't know until they try it out.

As someone who's experienced racism on Airbnb I hope for things of this nature to be easily called out or reported on other platforms too.

If yelp is going to be the test dummy even if it's purely commercialized, be my guest.

El Bombastico · Oct 9, 2020

Yelp, your heart's in the right place but this won't help. Just let users review bomb like they're done before.

Poppy · Oct 9, 2020

check out my top ten list of the best racist restaurants in each city

Lkr · Oct 9, 2020

Says a lot when your first reaction is to immediately whine and cry foul like these tweeters...

captive · Oct 9, 2020

DiipuSurotu said:
How?

i did not read the article. Having to have news article makes it a little better.

Theswweet · Oct 13, 2020

Surprise surprise, it's already being abused. Louis Rossman's Yelp page was flooded with obviously fake reviews alleging racist behavior, and Yelp has allowed them to stay up despite their clear, clear trolling.

DiipuSurotu · Oct 17, 2020

Theswweet said:
Surprise surprise, it's already being abused. Louis Rossman's Yelp page was flooded with obviously fake reviews alleging racist behavior, and Yelp has allowed them to stay up despite their clear, clear trolling.

Did Yelp flag this page as "racist behavior"?

Conal · Oct 17, 2020

Got it, Thanks!

Woylie · Oct 17, 2020

lol I can think of some old white boomer business owners who will be FURIOUS about this news. I had a roommate in college who worked at a store where the owner would post unhinged replies to every negative Yelp review, including a few that described her being racist toward customers in the store.

I would be worried about trolls using this to tag black-owned businesses or just anyone that they don't like, though.

DiipuSurotu · Oct 17, 2020

Woylie said:
I would be worried about trolls using this to tag black-owned businesses or just anyone that they don't like, though.

Users can't tag anything. It's Yelp who does the tagging.

Aurongel · Oct 17, 2020

That second Twitter douchebag's profile is a real trip. Dude's concerned about how the youth of today will have PTSD from all the teachers and scientists telling them they could die if they don't wear a mask 😂

caliph95 · Oct 17, 2020

This is great but this feels like it could get easily abused in the future

Edit: NVM there's actual attempts to prevent that

Yelp to add “Racist Behavior” alert to business pages

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