Category: general

About Yelp Reviews

We recently received an unsolicited online Yelp review from a client. (See our online review policy) Stated in its entirety:

“Had them virus check and clean 5 items on a rush order. They came and picked them up and delivered them the next day. Highly recommend them, very accommodating.”

In our minds, an innocuous, uncontroversial review??? Yelp thought differently and rejected the review for publication. We followed up for additional detail and received the following:

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From: Yelp HQ <no-reply@yelp.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 10:29:00 PM
To: Don Fernandes <don@cbctech.net>
Subject: Automated software concerns 14381068

Hi don,

We love hearing from our users, and we appreciate you taking the time to send us your feedback.

We use automated software to evaluate every review based on hundreds of signals of quality, reliability, and user activity on Yelp, with the goal of highlighting the most helpful and reliable reviews for our Yelp community.

The reviews that are recommended for any business can change over time as Yelp’s software learns more about the reviewer and the business. Sometimes, a review appears in the “not recommended” section simply because the software doesn’t know enough about the reviewer to recommend it.

That said, the recommendation software is entirely automated. It applies the same objective rules to every business and treats reviews of advertisers and non-advertisers exactly the same. This also means we can’t manually override the results for any single business or review based on individual feedback we receive.

For additional information, we’d like to refer you to our Trust and Safety website https://trust.yelp.com/recommendation-software/

-Yelp’s Trust and Safety Team

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Huh???

Fix My 2009 iMac

What exactly do you want us to do?

A client called today requesting on-site repair for a very old (2009) iMac. Parts are scarce, the software is outdated, and frankly, the machine is worth very little.

Our best advice is to get a new system. We don’t sell products, so there is no sales pressure. We’re just trying to prevent clients from being scammed by someone offering a cheap “fix” for an outdated machine.


Magic Wand

What Is Our Value To You?

Let’s flip the script regarding computer repair costs by asking a simple question.

I have a magic wand. When I wave the wand, it fixes all of your computer problems and prevents them from happening again.

How much are you willing to pay for us to wave the wand?

Bye-Bye Birdie

Why We Deactivated Our Twitter Account

CBC ditched Twitter. It wasn’t a tough decision – Twitter didn’t help CBC achieve its goals of providing tech solutions and support.

Looking for insightful tech discussions? Join our Mastodon community – it’s like Twitter, but with less moderation and no tracking!

We Were Hacked!

Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report

Verizon’s Security Report: Key Takeaways and Your Steps to Stay Safe

Here’s a breakdown of Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report with actionable advice:

  • People are the Weakest link. Most breaches involve human error. Secure your systems based on your needs.
  • Top Attack Methods: Credential theft (use 2-factor authentication!) Phishing emails (don’t click, don’t reply, and don’t share information) Unpatched vulnerabilities (update software regularly)
  • Browsers as Backdoors: Use Privacy Badger and uBlock Origin browser extensions. Clear your cache often.
  • Phishing Emails are effective; Many people fall for them. Be suspicious, verify senders, and delete unknown emails.
  • Lost Devices are common. 80% of mobile devices are lost, not stolen. Secure your devices!
  • Small businesses are targeted: Don’t underestimate your data’s value. Don’t rely on weak security practices.

For a deeper dive, download the free Verizon report!