About
Yelp is a website and mobile app that connects people with local businesses. Businesses can create free profiles to advertise their services, and Yelpers can write reviews of their experiences. The website also offers a business directory and tools for business owners.
Yelp was founded in 2004 by Jeremy Stoppelman and Russel Simmons. It was acquired by Google in 2013, but became a standalone company again in 2017. As of January 2018, Yelp had over 135 million monthly users.
The company has faced criticism for its negative reviews and for allegedly censoring positive reviews of businesses that have declined to advertise with Yelp. However, it has also been praised for its consumer protection features, such as its guarantee that businesses cannot pay to remove or alter negative reviews.
