CONGRESS DEFENDS YOUR RIGHT TO YELP
Legislation in Congress would ensure that customers who want to post negative reviews on websites like Yelp or TripAdvisor can do so without legal repercussions. That’s in response to some businesses that have made customers sign non-disparagement clauses and then sued if a bad review showed up.
Supporters say the legislation is needed to ensure freedom of speech in an increasingly online economy. The bipartisan legislation, which the House passed last week, was sponsored by Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass., and Republican Rep. Leonard Lance of New Jersey. Kennedy, who represents Needham, Mass.-based TripAdvisor, says fair reviews are important to build the strength of the “sharing economy” that allows consumers to exchange products, services and ideas.
Laurent Crenshaw, director of public policy for San Francisco-based Yelp, says the company has been trying to advocate for better protection for its users, including efforts to avert negative reviews with non-disparagement clauses.