TripAdvisor will now warn users about hotels where sexual assault is reported after users accused the site of deleting their negative reviews
- TripAdvisor has been criticized by users who reported having their accounts of rape and assault removed from the travel website.
- The site is introducing a new feature that will flag hotels and resorts that are reported for sexual assault and other safety concerns.
- Offending hotels and resorts will be marked for up to three months, with the possibility of an extension.
TripAdvisor is now marking hotels and resorts that have been reported for sexual assault and other safety concerns, according to The New York Times.
The travel website had come under fire after a number of users reported having their accounts of rape and assault removed from the site. The users had said they were told their reviews violated the website's guidelines, and some were marked as "hearsay."
TripAdvisor responded by apologizing to those affected by the removals, and the website is introducing a new feature it hopes will inform users of safety concerns before they book their travel plans.
If a designated committee of TripAdvisor employees decides it is warranted, a hotel or resort will be marked with a badge to indicate that users have reported that their health or safety was put at risk, or that they were discriminated against, while staying there.
Hotels and resorts will be marked for up to three months, with the possibility of an extension if TripAdvisor believes it is necessary.
Kevin Carter, a spokesman for the website, told the Times that TripAdvisor will not remove hotels and resorts that receive frequent complaints.
"We want consumers to see good and bad reviews of businesses," he said.