Yelp Defends Yelp

Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman swings an entire column in today's Chronicle in which he admirably defends his company following the rash of bad publicity from recent libel lawsuits. In it, he touches on several points he's made elsewhere, namely that Yelp is a great marketing tool for businesses if customers are treated well, and that 85% of reviews are three stars or higher and therefore positive. Not addressed in said column: the fact that favorable reviews can be and have been bought, the accusations of dishonorable sales tactics, reviewers' lack of accountability, and the fact that Yelp gives restaurants editorial preference for buying ads, which puts businesses that refuse to pay Yelp at a significant disadvantage. [SFChronicle via Eater SF]