Seems the TripAdvisor “reviews” are rubbing some hoteliers the wrong way. According to Tnooz.com, more than 300 hotels from the UK and United States have expressed interest in pursuing legal action against TripAdvisor, accusing the user-generated review site of defamation.
The planned pursuit is being organized by KwikChex, a UK-based company specializing in online reputation management, and reports say the hotels have already paid the £35 preliminary fee to join the action against TripAdvisor.
KwikChex is gathering hoteliers’ grievances against TripAdvisor and investigating them. Among the complaints against TripAdvisor, as spelled out in an open letter from KwikChex:
- “TripAdvisor claims that they are not responsible for user generated content – but claims ownership of all posts.”
- “TripAdvisor has singled out businesses and directly advised consumers not to trust them – even when the majority of their own posters recommend these businesses.”
- “TripAdvisor overstates the level of trust that can be placed in an individual review on their site. They are thus directly seeking to influence consumer opinion.” “TripAdvisor has failed to take appropriate action when offered evidence of falsehoods – thus removing their blanket disclaimer defense.”
KwikChex is currently investigating the possibility of filing dual lawsuits in the UK and United States against TripAdvisor.
Readers, We want your thoughts! Are these lawsuits justifiable? Do you think the user-generated comments on TripAdvisor put hotels in a bad light? Are hotels justified in suing TripAdvisor for defamation? Share your comments below.