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Google removed negative reviews of the Robinhood stock trading app after a negative reaction to the company’s decision Thursday to block users from buying or trading popular stocks on a Reddit sub-forum.
There was an influx of negative reviews for the app on the Google Play Store after Reddit users pushed campaigns to leave one-star reviews on the app’s decision to ban trading in actions that were popularized on the r / WallStreetBets forum. The app has restricted buying or trading of stocks including GameStop, AMC, and BlackBerry.
Google has removed at least 100,000 negative reviews on the app from its Play Store, The Verge and Gizmodo reported.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that the company has taken action on reviews deemed to be inauthentic or in violation of company policy.
Google policies prohibit “false ratings” which “are intended to manipulate an app’s average rating or top reviews.” Likewise, developers are not allowed to remove reviews or attempt to influence their rating by upping it with five-star reviews.
Reviews that violate Google’s policies may be removed from the Google Play Store.
Robinhood’s rating in the Google Play Store on Friday afternoon was three and a half stars. A Google spokesperson noted that there were still one-star reviews.
In at least one one-star review The Hill identified on Friday, one user lamented Google’s removal of the reviews.
“Hey Google. Continue to delete reviews. I will keep retyping it, ”the user wrote.
On the Apple App Store, Robinhood had almost a full five-star rating on Friday afternoon. But most of the recent reviews were one-star ratings and criticized the company for its decision to block trading in the stocks that have gained popularity via the Reddit forum.
The negative reviews campaign is not the only action taken by users against Robinhood, however.
A class action lawsuit was filed Thursday in the Southern District of New York almost immediately after Robinhood restricted trading in certain shares. The lawsuit claims the app “deliberately, willfully and knowingly removed the ‘GME’ stock [GameStop] of its trading platform amid an unprecedented rise in stocks, depriving retail investors of the ability to invest in the open market and manipulate the open market.
Robinhood is also facing criticism from a bipartisan group of lawmakers and the new Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, the Senator. Sherrod brown
Sherrod Campbell Brown New York Attorney General’s Office ‘Actively Examines’ Robinhood Activity Lawmakers Tear Up Robinhood’s GameStop Decision Hillicon Valley: Robinhood Restricts Trade From Companies Targeted By Reddit Users | Facebook overturns some decisions on deleted messages | Lawmakers introduce bill to massively increase postal voting READ MORE (D-Ohio) said a hearing will be held on the state of the stock market amid concerns over Robinhood shares.
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