TripAdvisor removes insensitive review of Auschwitz Museum that described is as 'fun for the family' - and apologizes after initially claiming it met submission guidelines
Travel website TripAdvisor has removed an insensitive review of Auschwitz Museum after initially saying it complied with submission guidelines.
The museum at the site of the Nazi concentration camp in Poland on Thursday tweeted that it had asked the US-based travel website to take down a review in which the writer said they went to Auschwitz to 'test the chamber' and called the site 'fun for the family.'
It's not clear how long the review was up, but it is no longer available available. It's also not clear when the museum first complained to TripAdvisor and when the company initially responded to that complaint.
An insensitive review of Auschwitz Museum has been removed by TripAdvisor after they initially chose to keep it on their site (entrance to former concentration camp pictured)
The review in question said that Auschwitz Museum was 'fun for the family'
In full, the review said, 'This place was great went there with my newborn babys [sic] to test the chamber but they came out deformed. But its fun for the family.'
Some users on Twitter reported that the review was the top review for the Auschwitz Museum on the website.
More than a million people, most of them Jews, were killed by the Nazis at Auschwitz during the Second World War.
'According the company, it complies with their submission guidelines,' the tweet said.
TripAdvisor later reversed course, removing the review and banning the user who wrote it. It's possible that the backlash to the Auschwitz Museum's initial tweet played a factor in the reversal.
Pictured: Visitors at the memorial site of the death camp when it reopened in July
Auschwitz Museum put TripAdvisor on blast after reporting the insensitive review
They were told, however, that the review would 'remain published' after an investigation
The museum then thanked TripAdvisor.
In a statement obtained by WCVB, TripAdvisor explained how the review made its way on to the platform.
'TripAdvisor utilizes a blend of technology and people to ensure the content on our site is trustworthy. While we believe in the right to write about one's travel experience, we block millions of reviews from ever appearing on our site that do not meet our guidelines, as well as removing posted reviews following a series of checks.'
In the statement, the company also said it does not tolerate discrimination. It added: 'In this case, our initial screening failed to identify this review as promoting intolerance. Through our escalation process, this review was removed.
'We always aim to get it right the first time and we apologize to the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum and the Jewish community at large for this initial miss.'
After backlash online, TripAdvisor ultimately reversed course (Auschwitz 1945 pictured)
Despite the change of course, Twitter response from TripAdvisor's initial decision revealed the disdain towards the company's policy.
'@TripAdvisor you should be ashamed to allow this review on your website. Totally despicable, outrageous, senseless, humanely wrong, unacceptable, horrible. This review is horrific. Shame on you,' wrote Mireille Longtin.
'Well, either this was reviewed by a computer or a human being who works at @TripAdvisor needs to be fired,' read another tweet.
While that review is now no longer active, there's at least one other insensitive review for the museum still on the site.
A review written on February 11, 2019 reads: 'Really fun day out with the family, kids had a lot of fun, happy faces all round. Could do with a gift shop for souvenirs for this fun place.'
TripAdvisor said a 'screening failed to identify this review as promoting intolerance'
Meanwhile, at least one other insensitive review of the museum remains on the website
