by Today, almost everyone carries a recording device. This means that any of our actions in public can be recorded and published online. One entrepreneur learned this from personal experience. After he displayed a Nazi salute several times from his car window, a video of the incident appeared online. As expected, his company’s rating on Yelp plummeted.
As reported in the publication, the event occurred in the Mission Bay area of San Francisco. “As I was walking home… the owner of Cyber Electric LLC displayed a Nazi salute several times, after allegedly shouting homophobic slurs at me and my friends. This behavior is completely unacceptable and reflects the company’s values and beliefs. I feel sorry for anyone who is so ignorant and full of hate,” the post’s author wrote.
Indeed, the embedded video below shows exactly that. Although some details of the description are hard to confirm, it’s obvious that the person is making the corresponding gesture, and the company logo is visible on the side of the electric vehicle. It is worth noting that we do not know what preceded this situation. Although nothing justifies such a reaction, it is hard to believe we are seeing the full context of the event.
Video from Reddit
Meanwhile, users who saw the video began leaving negative reviews for Cyber Electric on Yelp. “Modesto has no place for Nazi businesses. Do not support fascism or homophobia,” wrote one reviewer. “Do you want this person in your home, around your family, performing repairs?” added another user from the Bay Area. “Disgusting.” Interestingly, Yelp later removed the negative reviews, providing the following explanation.
Yelp’s Response
“This business recently made the news, which often leads to people posting their views on the events here rather than their actual experience with the business,” stated platform representatives. “We have temporarily disabled the posting of content to this page while we investigate whether the reviews represent actual customer experiences rather than commentary on recent events (even if it means limiting the ability to express opinions we might agree with).”
In his defense, Cyber Electric owner Marco Diaz has already responded to the situation. He posted a video on his YouTube channel where he admitted to displaying the Nazi salute. Although he denied the accusations of using homophobic slurs, he confessed that his actions caused pain to others. “To make things right, I am educating myself, supporting anti-hate organizations, and working to make my company promote inclusivity. I am committed to learning and rebuilding trust. I hope my actions will show my sincerity,” he stated.
It seems this was an attempt to be “cool” that was absolutely not worth such consequences. This case is yet another reminder that in the modern world, almost everything is caught on video, and a damaged reputation is not so easy to restore.
