Yelp Sues Google For Antitrust Violations (theverge.com) 23
Yelp has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing the search giant of maintaining its local search monopoly by preferencing its own services over competitors, harming competition and reducing quality. "Yelp claims that the way Google directs users toward its own local search vertical from its general search engine results page should be considered illegal tying of separate products to keep rivals from reaching scale," adds The Verge. From the report: Yelp wants the court to order Google to stop the allegedly anticompetitive conduct and to pay it damages. It demanded a jury trial and filed the suit in the Northern District of California, where a different jury found that Google had an illegal monopoly through its app store in its fight against Epic Games.
The company was emboldened to bring its own lawsuit against Google after the DOJ's win in its antitrust case about the company's allegedly exclusionary practices around the distribution of search services. Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman told The New York Times that following that decision, "the winds on antitrust have shifted dramatically." Previously, he told the Times, he'd hesitated to bring a suit because of the resources it would require and because he saw it as the government's job to enforce the antitrust laws. "Yelp's claims are not new," Google spokesperson Peter Schottenfels said in a statement. "Similar claims were thrown out years ago by the FTC, and recently by the judge in the DOJ's case. On the other aspects of the decision to which Yelp refers, we are appealing. Google will vigorously defend against Yelp's meritless claims."
The company was emboldened to bring its own lawsuit against Google after the DOJ's win in its antitrust case about the company's allegedly exclusionary practices around the distribution of search services. Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman told The New York Times that following that decision, "the winds on antitrust have shifted dramatically." Previously, he told the Times, he'd hesitated to bring a suit because of the resources it would require and because he saw it as the government's job to enforce the antitrust laws. "Yelp's claims are not new," Google spokesperson Peter Schottenfels said in a statement. "Similar claims were thrown out years ago by the FTC, and recently by the judge in the DOJ's case. On the other aspects of the decision to which Yelp refers, we are appealing. Google will vigorously defend against Yelp's meritless claims."
Hmm (Score:5, Informative)
On the one hand, Google does use it vertical integration of local results to distort the market. On the other hand, I want Yelp down-ranked as much as possible in search results because they are extremely low quality.
Re:Hmm (Score:5, Informative)
"Nice business you got here. Would be a shame if any bad reviews happened to it."
Yelp is nothing but an extortion racket. It needs to die. And luckily, judging by the downsizings they have been going through, has been doing so, slowly. Grapsing for straws by this lawsuit seems to confirm that. Fingers crossed.
Re: (Score:2)
"Nice business you got here. Would be a shame if any bad reviews happened to it."
Yelp is nothing but an extortion racket. It needs to die. And luckily, judging by the downsizings they have been going through, has been doing so, slowly. Grapsing for straws by this lawsuit seems to confirm that. Fingers crossed.
Same with any site that depends on hosting reviews for revenue, TripAdvisor, Trustpilot, et al. The business model needs to die.
Fortunately Yelp never made it outside North America. Most people don't know it even exists (first I heard of it was a Penny Arcade reference). Sounds like they were the scummiest of scum (TripAdvisor is not far off, I know a few hoteliers and they are literally called up and threatened with bad reviews unless they stump up some cash on a regular basis).
Re: (Score:2)
So if you look at Yelp and look for the lowest rated alternatives you actually might get a positive surprise.
I think that Louis Rossmann also have a few videos about Yelp and their behavior.
I hope that Google makes Yelp a thing of the past, or at least drop them from the search results based on some of their terms of service.
Re:Hmm (Score:4, Informative)
I want Yelp down-ranked as much as possible in search results because they are extremely low quality.
Because Yelp is Not a legitimate business in the first place, And while Google may have dropped the "don't be evil" facade; Yelp is overtly evil. Their whole gig seem to be Sell advertising to small businesses, And if you don't pay they create Fake negative reviews that you can pay them to remove.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Re: Jury trial (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
It's probably a legitimate downranking on quality.
On the one hand, Google chooses many of the parameters and can avoid choices that would lead to them being downranked.
On the other, they probably don't have to resort to that.
Re: (Score:1)
Plus it has a stupid name. Yelp? YELP?!?! I wouldn't use its product no matter how good it may be.
Re: (Score:2)
On the one hand, Google does use it vertical integration of local results to distort the market.
Google obviously uses its search engine's main website to promote its other products. No question there.
My real question: Is it truly a "market distortion" if Google chooses to decline to direct customers to a competing search engine? For example, by removing search results that reference a competing search engine.
It seems to me: Google would have the right to block their servers from indexing Bing.com, Yelp.
Cry me a river (Score:5, Interesting)
Yelp's business model is based on being a monopoly, they want to be an unavoidable middle man. There is an excellent South park episode [wikipedia.org] about it too. The world was a better place without Yelp.
When you can't innovate, SUE those who do! (Score:2)
Yelp! has been stagnant for years. Google has been innovating every single year.
Google reviews came after Yelp!, have expanded, people engage, get rewars for participating in the Local Guide program, integrate with Maps, and businesses put up signs asking for customers to rate them on ... Google.
Yelp! was a little better than nothing, now they're like Angi, a cesspool of nothing formerly with user engagement. Google reviews are current, vibrants, and alive.
No wonder Yelp! wants to sue.
Good riddance to Yet
Re: When you can't innovate, SUE those who do! (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, Google used typical monopoly behavior by using their position as a default search and by having a mobile operating system and mapping system of their own.
That would normally be bad. If Yelp had tried to improve and still failed in the market, then they would have a legitimate position in the case.
Bottom feeder vs evil corp (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
This is the best take.
Re: (Score:2)
A company playing dirty to outrank its customers (Score:2)
suing a company for playing dirty to outrank its customers...
I guess the only argument here is that Google is better at it?
The "Greed is Good" speech but it's "trust" (Score:2)
irony (Score:2)
How much discretion should Google have? (Score:2)
When you perform a search using Google, you're basically putting a question to them and getting an answer. I suppose its implied that the answer will not actively be deceptive, but we do all know that Google uses an 'algorithm' (in this case, tic-quotes are unnecessary, since it really is an algorithm - but I need to stress that most people don't even consider what an algorithm is). We already know Google is picking and choosing what they'll tell us in answer to our question.
Do users have a right to dema
Yelp (Score:3)
Yelp is awful.
They regularly attempt to extort my business with offers to remove the batch of negative reviews (for a price... "Paid members get help to verify the authenticity of reviews on the site" ) that suddenly appear in the days before they contact me... only for those negative reviews to disappear again after I refuse to pay them.
It is an extortionate scam. "Nice rating you got there... be a shame if something happened to it... we could help make sure nothing bad happens... for a price."