To be honest, the answer is: It depends. For the most part, reviews are covered under the First Amendment, which protects free speech. ... If a customer posts a review that is factually inaccurate or contains accusations about your business that are untrue, you may have grounds to sue the online reviewer for defamation .
Can someone sue you for a bad Google review?
In almost every case, the review platform (e.g. Google, Yelp, Glassdoor) cannot be sued . It is imperative that you sue the individual that left the negative, defamatory review. Many people think suing the review site will yield better results – but this could not be further from the truth.
Is writing bad reviews illegal?
Falsity. A person can post a review of someone even if it is negative in nature without committing the tort of defamation. Truth is an absolute defense to this type of legal cause of action.
Can you sue someone for talking bad about your business?
Defamation actually covers both spoken and written statements. Oral defamation is called “slander.” If it’s in writing, than it’s called “libel.” ... Defamation is any statement made by someone that hurts another person’s reputation. It’s not a crime to defame someone, but victims can sue in civil court for it.
Is it illegal to leave multiple bad reviews?
To back this up, Congress passed a law in 2016 called the Consumer Review Fairness Act , which made it illegal for companies to add terms to their contracts that banned customers from posting negative reviews—or fined them if they do.
Can a business sue me for a bad review?
Can a business sue you for a bad review? Yes, you can . Especially if you can’t back it up with facts. ... That’s the best way to protect yourself against a defamation lawsuit.
How much can a bad review hurt your business?
Negative reviews can seriously impact your business. Every time a negative review pops up on Google searches, you have the potential to lose customers. 86% of customers hesitate to purchase from companies with negative reviews. Negative reviews ultimately cost you web traffic and revenue .
Is it worth suing for defamation?
The answer is, yes, it is worth it . When a true case of defamation exists, there are damages that are caused as a result. Those damages are compensable through a civil lawsuit, in California and beyond. ... General Damages: This includes loss of reputation, shame, hurt feelings, embarrassment, and more.
Is it against the law to slander a business?
Slander is the same thing whether committed in a business or personal context, and it is illegal if damaging . As a small-business owner, it behooves you to understand slander to ensure you and your employees don’t commit it and to recognize when somebody slanders your business.
How much does a defamation lawsuit cost?
The answer is, yes, it is worth it . When a true case of defamation exists, there are damages that are caused as a result. Those damages are compensable through a civil lawsuit, in California and beyond. ... General Damages: This includes loss of reputation, shame, hurt feelings, embarrassment, and more.
What is considered slander?
Also known as oral or spoken defamation, slander is the legal term for the act of harming a person’s reputation by telling one or more other people something that is untrue and damaging about that person. Slander can be the basis for a lawsuit and is considered a civil wrong (i.e., a tort).
What are the possible consequences of fake reviews?
Fake reviews decrease informativeness, information quality, and the effective use of online product reviews . Fake reviews also damage the credibility of reviews, and negatively affect review helpfulness.
Can a bad review ruin your business?
Negative reviews succeed in chasing away customers from your business to your competitors. Research shows that one negative review drives away 22% of prospects , around 30 customers. The percentage of lost customers increases with an increase in negative reviews. Three negative reviews drive away customers by 59.2%.
What do I do if my business has a bad review?
- First, acknowledge it. Ignoring online reviews doesn’t do any good. ...
- Keep calm. ...
- Offer a solution. ...
- Flip the script. ...
- Ask to take the conversation offline.
Is it bad to leave a bad review?
Don’t leave a negative review and hinder another business’s reputation when instead you can try to handle it internally and then just don’t go back. If you don’t like it, let that business fail on its own. Don’t push it over the ledge just because you didn’t enjoy your experience.
Is it hard to win a defamation case?
(Although it might be invasion of privacy.) Libel laws are meant to monetarily compensate people for damage to their reputations–not to punish people who make false statements. It’s harder for a public figure to win a libel lawsuit than it is for a private person to win a libel lawsuit .
