TripAdvisor removed reports of rapes and assaults at Mexico resorts, report says | Hacker News Reader

TripAdvisor removed reports of rapes and assaults at Mexico resorts, report says

bostonglobe.com

37 pointsuladzislau13 comments

This is a non-story. TripAdvisor has been doing this for years as it is a violation of their policies. Rapes and assaults are not considered family friendly and will be removed from the site.

Here's the specific part of the policy:

Family-Friendly

To maintain a safe, family-friendly environment, we don’t allow profanity or vulgarities in reviews. We also reject reviews that include sexually explicit comments, hate speech, prejudiced language, threats, or personal insults. So keep it PG-13! Any reviews that describe reviewer participation in illegal activities, including those that advocate or describe drug use in defiance of local laws, will be removed.

Full policy is here: https://www.tripadvisorsupport.com/hc/en-us/articles/2006147...

WTF. I'm not sure why you think someone saying "I was sexually assaulted at this resort" is somehow against that section of the policy.

> Any reviews that describe reviewer participation in illegal activities ... will be removed.

As bleak a reading of that clause that this is, you can say if you are the victim of an assault you were a participant in that event participant (albeit an unwilling one), and the review must be removed.

You may not like it - but thats how TripAdvisor has always interpreted the policy. Specifically, sexual assaults have always been considered not family friendly. They are removed from the site and referred directly to the hotel for investigation. (disclosure: I worked there from 2010-2013, including a short rotation in the content moderation arm that makes these calls)

My broader point was simply that this isn't a new interpretation of this policy, they've been doing this for years.

I think it is a story, because most people, having never worked for TripAdvisor, would find it surprising.

It's not a non-story, in the context of the general population. It's part of that population learning that "social media lie" -- even when, perhaps even especially when, the lie is one of omission.

And as to whether comments on a commercial site constitute "social media"? Again, average users don't make that distinction. And the major "social" media" sites are all commercial sites, even if their business model is somewhat different.

Another recent post on this story, from USA Today:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15603371

"The issue raises questions about the role of a hotel review site as a public forum, and the role that TripAdvisor should play as a mediator. The company hosts more than 535 million user reviews online, and is worth more than $1.5 billion

It derives much of its revenue from referrals to hotel sites, and also has an “instant booking” feature, allowing users to book directly through the site. Its relationships with hotel properties are integral to the company’s bottom line, according to an August filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission obtained by the Journal Sentinel. In it, TripAdvisor financial officers stressed the importance that the company convert visitors into “users and bookers.”

“Advertisers will not continue to do business with us if their investment in such advertising does not generate sales leads, customers, bookings, or revenue and profit,” they wrote."

Like Yelp, this is an opaque business entirely focused on profit. From 'news' sites with readers comment sections on selected articles to review sites like TripAdvisor, the whole mysterious disappearing posts due to 'moderators' is getting beyond the pale.

Not sure how this could be regulated but free speech comes up in my mind...

> Among the other users who saw their posts deleted was *, who wrote warning visitors that she had blacked out at a Mexican resort out after drinking at a hotel’s swim-up bar

I do not believe this story. OK I believe it, but put it down to cheap booze at higher levels of alcohol than normal. This is what is often found to be the case. (Changing locations with drugs also causes ODs)

And there in lies the problem. Great allegations require great proof and this is why we have court systems not mobs.

I'm not sure this is trip advisors job.

There is plenty of evidence about the criminal actions of many of these resorts. Waiting for the Mexican court system to catch up will absolutely get people hurt. If the resorts are being defamed, they can take legal action of their own, trip advisor should not be helping them hide accusations.

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/time/4900991/mexi...

You seem to be saying it's part of Trip Advisers mission to keep people safe?

I don't think it is. And certainly if they chose it not to be that's their right.

I find it part of the worrying 'snowfake' trend of everyone seeming to thing their safety is 100% someone else's responsibility.

And it is also dangerous.

Trip Adviser is 'in or out' on whether it keeps people safe. A half assed attempt can be more dangerous.

> There is plenty of evidence about the criminal actions of many of these resorts

I really find it strange you think a site that rates the quality of food and bedding should be the gateway to this information. It's not crazy, but a strange concept.

Travel Guides back in the day used to do it in extreme cases and normally through innuendo. They always enforced the general idea of general safety when they did.

Forget whether it's part of their mission. People use Trip Advisor because of the level of trust they have in the reviews. If enough people feel TA is censoring reviews, especially to the point of removing reports of sexual assault, you can bet they will sure as hell lose trust in those reviews.

So? That was her opinion which is a review. Even if you think there are reasons why it happened, leave the review and judge yourself. She just said she blacked out, and you gave reasons. What accusation was made?

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