Court tosses suit against Avvo, concluding algorithmic ratings are protected speech

TalkBack 1 of 3:

Next »

• Thread View
• Flat View

Thoughts from Avvo's CEO

Denise ? Mike, you and some observant others have correctly characterized this case from the beginning as being about more than just Avvo. The lawsuit attacked not only the Avvo Rating but also the opinions of consumers (client ratings) and lawyers (peer endorsements) on our site. It is a case that never should have been filed, and if successful threatened to bomb all of Web 2.0 back to the Stone Age.

Here is the reality, albeit a painful reality for some: The Web is breaking down barriers and giving a voice to many who previously did not. That is the essence of Web 2.0 ? providing the masses with new platforms and better technology that enable their sharing of information and opinions at a rate and scale that was previously unimaginable. Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr, Digg and even blogs like yours, Denise. Where were we without these sites, and all of the information and opinions they offer, only a couple of years ago? Sadly, the plaintiffs in Browne v. Avvo wanted to take us on this trip back in time.

At Avvo, our mission is to offer consumers information and guidance to help them choose the right lawyer. To date, consumers? #1 resource when hiring a lawyer (after word of mouth) has been the Yellow Pages, and we all know how much unbiased information and guidance paid advertising offers. Avvo offers the Avvo Rating, client ratings, peer endorsements, attorney discipline records and a question and answer forum called ?Avvo Answers? that allows consumers to ask questions and lawyers to answer them. All of this information comes together to give consumers a better place to start. How anyone would want to tear that down is beyond me.

In closing, I would like to thank you, Denise, for your balanced coverage of Avvo and the lawsuit. Thank you also for having us on TWIL so that we could tell our side of the story at a time when many were simply reporting what they read in the plaintiffs? complaint.

Regards,

Mark Britton
CEO, Avvo, Inc.

Posted by: avvo ceo   Posted on: 12/20/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

• Three Steps You Need to Know to Stop Data Loss Varonis Sensitive data exposed to misuse or loss... it is the stuff of nightmares ... Download Now
• Virtualization: Architectural Considerations And Other Evaluation Criteria VMware Of the many approaches to x86 systems virtualization available in the ... Download Now
• Building the Virtualized Enterprise with VMware Iinfrastructure VMware VMware virtualization software has been adopted by over 120,000 enterprise ... Download Now