On March 3, 2015, Steve Wynn lost a defamation lawsuit in California based off of an anti-SLAPP motion. Who is Steve Wynn and why the heck should I care, you ask? Well, he’s got money and isn’t afraid to sue his critics. Less than three weeks after Wynn lost the defamation lawsuit, the State Senate,… Read more
This week the Supreme Court of Virginia protected consumers’ right to privacy and free speech by agreeing with Yelp that a Virginia court lacked jurisdiction to enforce a subpoena from Hadeed Carpet Cleaning seeking private information about several of our users. If Hadeed wishes to issue a subpoena in the correct jurisdiction of California, we are… Read more
Since Yelp’s inception as a platform to connect people with great local businesses around them, we have supported and relied on the principles of an open and free Internet in order to do business. These principles, which have become enshrined in the term “Net Neutrality,” provide that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should treat all legal… Read more
Since Yelp started in 2004, one of our top priorities has always been to protect the ability for consumers to share their real experiences with local businesses, and we actively advocate for laws and rules that protect people from the rare occasions where business owners may attempt to use litigation, intimidation or fines in response… Read more
Dear Governor Brewer: I write to express my concern about SB 1062 and to respectfully request that you veto this legislation. At the heart of Yelp’s mission is giving consumers the ability to find great local businesses. Protecting the consumer has been – and will continue to be – our main priority. I believe that… Read more
Earlier this week, the Virginia Court of Appeals announced a ruling that sets Virginia apart from other states when it comes to free speech rights for consumers. In this case, the owner of a Virginia carpet cleaning business argued that because he could not find in his customer database the screen names of some… Read more
Today,the Obama administration has invited dozens of the nation’s top executives — including our very own CEO and co-founder, Jeremy Stoppelman — to the White House seeking tips on how to help modernize the government. The forum will include reps from the private sector and federal government leaders together in a discussion about new ways to use technology to streamline government operations,… Read more
I was recently invited to write an opinion piece for the San Francisco Chronicle discussing Yelp, issues of free speech, and what it all means for local businesses. My thanks to the editors for dedicating the space. Below is my submission (printed in Monday's paper)… One day in the summer of 2004, I got sick… Read more