'Proof of vaccination requirement': Yelp adding businesses' COVID-19 guidelines to listings

Yelp is adding details to listings, so users can see what COVID-19 guidelines businesses have implemented.

Yelp users can filter businesses based on two new attributes: "Proof of vaccination required" and "All staff fully vaccinated," the app announced.

Yelp plans to proactively monitor the pages of businesses that add these attributes to prevent any potential backlash.

"Yelp's Content Guidelines require that all reviews be based on a first-hand consumer experience," Noorie Malik, Yelp's vice president of operations, said in a blog post Thursday. "However, in recent weeks, we've seen a rise in reviews focused on people's stance on COVID vaccinations rather than their actual experience with the business."

Yelp said that whenever a business experiences unusual activity on its listing such as "review bombing," a coordinated effort to post negative reviews to drive down its rating, Yelp will temporarily disable posting and place an alert until activity slows.

Yelp businesses can detail amenities such as mask requirements and whether all staffers wear masks.

As the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads, governments and businesses have pushed for stricter vaccination requirements. Companies including Facebook and United Airlines will require their employees to get vaccinated before they return to the office.

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