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Virginia to Yelp: Unmask Anonymous Reviewers

March 4, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Article by Peter Black from Fix Bad Reputation.

In a new victory for businesses who feel they have been victimized by spoofed reviews, a Virginia court has compelled Yelp to unmask a group of anonymous reviewers or take down the text. Online reviews are a trusted resource for those shopping on the Web, but faked reviews present a serious problem for consumers and businesses alike. While Yelp does allow users to post with an anonymous monicker, these rules may change with this new ruling.

Drawing on a pre-existing statute, the Virginia court ruled that anonymous reviews can cause significant harm to a business. Because it is unreliable to identify these reviewers, it is within the court’s jurisdiction to request these reviewers get unmasked. Though the ruling occurred in Virginia, the implications are wide reaching. Some are worried that this ruling will forever jeopardize Internet anonymity.

Is free speech a thing of the past? Where will the federal courts draw the line? Submit Express CEO Pierre Zarokian explores the issue in depth, examining the ramifications of this landmark ruling.

Read More: www.searchenginejournal.com/court-slams-free-speech-anonymous-yelp-reviews-fire/86069/

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