Google has removed a wave of negative reviews targeting a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following the arrest of Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Al Jazeera reports.
The arrest, which resulted from a tip provided by a McDonald’s employee, prompted a surge of one-star reviews on the restaurant’s Google listing.
Many reviews contained references to the healthcare industry, the suspect’s alleged motive, and accusations against the employee who provided the tip, using terms like “rats” and “narc.”
Google confirmed the removal of these reviews, citing violations of its terms of service. A spokesperson stated that additional protections have been implemented to maintain the integrity of the review system. Google policy requires reviews to reflect genuine experiences at a given location.
Before removal, the McDonald’s restaurant had accumulated 1,890 reviews, resulting in an overall rating of 3.6 stars. Thompson’s death has ignited considerable online discussion, with many expressing anger toward UnitedHealthcare and sharing personal experiences with insurance claim denials. UnitedHealthcare holds the highest claim denial rate in the US, at 32%, according to Value Penguin.
The incident highlights the intense public feelings surrounding healthcare in the US. A recent Gallup poll indicated that while 65% of Americans rate their own coverage positively, only 28% feel the same about healthcare coverage in the country overall. This disparity underscores the ongoing debate about healthcare costs and access in the United States, where per-person health expenditures reached $13,493 in 2022, representing 17.3% of the GDP.
