News Tabelog ordered to pay damages to yakiniku chain

[thomas]

Just saw this on the morning news: the Tokyo District Court ordered Kakaku.com, the operator of the popular restaurant review site Tabelog, to pay some 38.4m JPY in damages to a Korean restaurant chain, claiming that the review site had doctored its algorithm to uniformly lowered scores of chain restaurants.

In the lawsuit, Hanryumura had claimed the scores for about 20 outlets of its Korean barbecue chain KollaBo fell about 0.2 point on average on the rating scale of 1.0 to 5.0 points when the site's algorithm was changed in May 2019, with the largest fall reaching 0.45 point. Seeking about 639.05 million yen in damages, the chain argued that the number of restaurant customers fell by more than 5,000 per month after the change. Kakaku.com said the change in the algorithm was made in the interest of its users, and score fluctuations should be naturally assumed.

Although the chain was awarded damages, it will appeal the ruling, as its request for the injunction was rejected. Kakaku.com said it appealed the ruling as it is "unjust."

Operator of major Japan restaurant review site ordered to pay damages

A Japanese court orders the operator of Tabelog, a popular restaurant review website, to pay about 38.4 million yen ($286,000) in damages to a Korean barbeque chain, judging that its rating algorithm is unfairly designed for chain outlets.

english.kyodonews.net

Operator of major restaurant review site Tabelog ordered to pay damages

A Japanese court on Thursday ordered the operator of Tabelog, a popular restaurant review website, to pay about 38.4 million yen in damages to a Korean barbeque chain, judging that its rating algorithm is unfairly designed for chain outlets. The Tokyo District Court found that the site operator...

japantoday.com

 

[Uncle Frank]

During the early 70's while stationed in Fukuoka , it was made very clear that Koren's were considered second rate citizens. A standard joke passed around was if a female had big breasts , she must have Korean blood? Never understood that comment. There were crappy getto looking housing areas and I was always told "OH , that's where the Koreans live". It often seemed like Koreans were treated like blacks a bit in the south(USA).

 

[thomas]

I believe Tabelog globally adjusted the scores of chain restaurants. The yakiniku chain in question was just the first to take them to court.

 

[Petaris]

In the lawsuit, Hanryumura had claimed the scores for about 20 outlets of its Korean barbecue chain KollaBo fell about 0.2 point on average on the rating scale of 1.0 to 5.0 points when the site's algorithm was changed in May 2019, with the largest fall reaching 0.45 point. Seeking about 639.05 million yen in damages, the chain argued that the number of restaurant customers fell by more than 5,000 per month after the change. Kakaku.com said the change in the algorithm was made in the interest of its users, and score fluctuations should be naturally assumed.

It doesn't say how long after that the 5k per month change in customers happened. Given the timing could the COVID lockdowns have had anything to do with it perhaps? I'm not saying that doctoring the algorithm isn't a big deal, just wondering if it is the only cause for the change.