Concerns Regarding Hellopeter.com (AUGUST 2024)

Summary of matter:

Thank you for your time again in reviewing this issue. In order to have a growing, deconcentrated, and inclusive economy, we cannot have a business model like that of Hellopeter.com, with restrictive business practices and abuse of its dominant position on the web. As per our online consultation, let me note in this email how, as a business, they directly hinder an emerging economy, further aggravating the market and posing an especially prejudicial practice for entrepreneurs and SMEs.

Review sites have been around for almost as long as the internet and are essentially a tool for consumers to evaluate other people’s opinions on a business. The general process either includes a rating option (like stars), or one can leave an actual written comment and perhaps even provide other media such as photos. These insights can offer value to prospective consumers and shoppers before they proceed with a purchase.

Fake information on the internet is a real problem, and so is publishing misleading or harmful content. This trend has been highlighted and red-flagged by regulators and even South African politicians. For this reason, I have also approached Icasa and the Information Regulator to review certain aspects of Hellopeter.com.

As a website, they cannot host or facilitate, never mind profit off, content that is harmful, fake, or breaks the PoPIA Act. Their website is effectively enabling and facilitating the broadcasting of content that is not validated and content that often identifies a person by name or other identifying factors.

In many instances, review posts border on abuse. Some of these issues are not within the realm of the Competition Commission to assess, but I do want the Commission to be mindful of them all. At the end of the day, I suspect this matter will be reviewed by the court, and they will assess the Commission’s (and other regulators’) review outcomes as part of the process.

The Problems:

I have already explained that Hellopeter.com allows anyone to post a review without insisting the user confirm the information is correct and not breaking the Cybercrimes or PoPIA Act. In fact, they are free to post whatever they like.

Hellopeter.com currently offers a 14-day free trial, but once that expires, the problem persists for businesses. Hellopeter.com has a dispute process, but it is entirely at their discretion, and even when I have attempted to engage, I do not believe they review content in light of the law or regulations.

There are two major problems. These cannot be understated, and the results of these are extreme:

1. The subscription fee options they charge are excessive and not within the realm of any entrepreneur or SME.
2. Any fake or incorrect information does not only feature on their website; it features on search results such as on Google. This is by design of their system.

Even if the business is able to respond or get the review removed, the Google result for their business still shows the content weeks, if not months, later. The damage is extreme. This means that the reach of the harmful or inaccurate information is extended. In some instances, the results not only display for a business name or service but also sometimes individuals within a company.

I need to repeat, this has been done by design by Hellopeter.com in how their CMS website prepares page titles, descriptions, and meta for search engines.

(There is nothing stopping a competitor of a business from posting fake reviews; all they need to do is set up a fake email address.)

Cannot be Ignored:

Fake reviews are growing substantially. Consumers and businesses have no protection. HelloPeter.com knows this and is trading off this trend. Their new business model is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I reached out to Hellopeter.com’s management team to have a round table discussion.

Hellopeter.com has rejected my requests to have a chat, and their lawyer has recently sent a communication reiterating their client’s virtue and that their business practices are in order.

The content that can be posted on this platform can include:

• Racism
• Sexism
• Homophobia
• Xenophobia
• Accusations of sexual misconduct
• People’s names, addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying factors
• Shared opinions without any duty on the poster to provide proof, and even if proof is provided, the review team at Hellopeter.com does not make a legal determination

Any of the above content can be posted and featured on the site before going through any form of review or validation.

The harm extends past the company to individual staff members. It can destroy a company’s reputation or even an individual’s.

I want to say that review sites do add value to consumers and businesses, but consumers do not know if the reviews they are reading on this site are true, and the posters can often remain anonymous.

HelloPeter.com’s management team should be summoned to a table discussion and asked why they are not taking reasonable actions to ensure consumers and businesses in their web environment are protected, given that their current platform is designed to prioritize their income.

Kind regards.