TripAdvisor Plot Thickens: Second Charges Filed
The review giant seems reeling these days with legal and PR woes from all directions.
In the latest plot development, Hotelmarketing.com reports that a more serious complaint against TripAdvisor has been lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority, the UK organization charged with regulating advertising across all media.
The second probe, instigated by reputation management gadfly, Kwikchex is now asking that all third parties using TripAdvisor’s reviews to market their properties be prohibited from doing so.
While Kwikchex’s first complaint questioned the truthfulness and accuracy of the site’s reviews, this claim goes further and is potentially more damaging to the review site.
It says, in effect, if the review’s author can not be determined, and if the truthfulness of the review itself can not be ascertained, then third parties have no right to post such reviews as a means of promoting their properties or destinations because, in effect, these third-party reviews are “fruit of the poisoned tree.”
In other words, a unverified review like an unverified product or medical claim is illegal.
Travolution says ASA has not confirmed the second complaint, but leaves no doubt the charge has been filed.
Kwikchex co-founder, Chris Emmins, cites a rule from the Committee of Advertising Practices stating that marketers must be able to show a review’s authenticity by proving it was made “by an identifiable and potentially contactable person.”
And there’s the rub.
The government wants to act before public confidence in published reviews is eroded completely.
One Twitter follower asked me if she could post favorable excerpts of a TripAdvisor review on her site.
While I’m not sure of the exact legal standing at this point, I would say she runs the risk of a negative PR backlash as more and more travelers question the veracity of any unsigned review, by an “uncontactable person’ that appears on any site.
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Comments
Well, doubtless, TA is a powerhouse of reviews and comments. I was there when they occupied a cramped loft space and had only a vision. Obviously, they have acquired companies and clout along the way as well as a formidable number of reviws
They did have to change how they touted their reviews because of legal action in the UK. But they have cleaned up their act. To their credit. The idea of reviews, how reliable they are, how many from how many different sources one has to read, to get an accurate opinion, is a huge topic.
My money is on Airbnb, and thanks very much for writing in! :)
All the best
Kaleel
I use Trip Advisor a lot. Not only to get information about the places I plan to visit but also to review the places I have visited and hotels where I have stayed. I really like Trip Advisor, it has been incredibly helpful when planning my travels and they have never changed or rejected my reviews. Believe me, I am very detailed about my reviews and if a place sucked then I'm going to politely explain why. If a place is incredible, I will explain why it's incredible and why you should visit. I have never had problems with TA and I really do highly recommend the site. I am simply a traveler, I'm not in the industry at all. It is a shame that some people post false reviews but I that can't possibly be the norm.
Allan Lynch- Agoda refunded my stay and thanked me for drawing their attention to the billing problem with that particular hotel.They didn't change my review after they gave me a refund either. So those booking sites that let people review the hotels only after they have stayed,in my opinion are more accurate and cut down on the fake reviews .
Also online communities like Tripatini,Frommers,Fodors, etc one can see whose reviews you like and trust.
That they didn't take corrective action via their software or other monitoring processes is surprising and disappointing.
Thanks for writing in
I think we may be witnessing a natural ecology of sorts, an evolution of the review site and reviews in general.
We were enamored of the power and the influence and utility of home-grown reviews, and sites like TripAdvisor and maybe Agoda, Yelp became powerhouses. TripAdvisor became the gold standard. But, power corrupts, so they say, and when faith or trust is gone the "Houses of Reviews" come tumbling down, because belief is the only thing that kept them there.
Of course Kwikchex is a real gadfly on a mission, but we may be seeing the end of "TripAdvisors" as we know them. Just explaining/defending themselves at hearings will be demoralizing
Thanks for the conversations!
Travel Rob - I'm a cynic. I wonder if Agoda posting your review about them shows transparency or that they didn't read it? Given the massive flow of items which flood these sites, I wonder what their criteria are for approving posts?
I have a couple of blogs and had a problem with one that is very political concerning health care had had a function that automatically posted anything written by contributor who had had one comment approved by me. I dug around and changed the setting so every comment has to be read and approved by me before posting. I expect Agoda wouldn't have the same tech problems I do, but they would also have a hell of a lot more volume.
It is true a lot of people have gamed Trip Advisor by posting fake negative and positive reviews. I've even heard of cases where Trip Advisor has removed real reviews ..Sites like booking.com and others ,which post reviews after a person has stayed ,seems to be doing a better job at this.I even posted a review with Agoda stating I had trouble with Agoda and they posted my review. To me that shows transparency