As consumers rely more and more on online reviews of businesses, business owners have become increasingly concerned with competitors posting false comments on social networking websites, such as Yelp!, Citysearch, and Twitter. Natalie Sulimani is here to help, as she lays out the four legal claims business owners can bring against those who post false or illegitimate reviews: defamation; unfair competition; trademark infringement; and copyright infringement. In part one of her guide through this area, Sulimani focuses on the claim of defamation. By laying out what constitutes defamation and explaining the benefits that a legal claim can bring, Sulimani introduces business owners to a way to protect themselves against their online detractors. Although Sulimani offers a disclaimer that it can be quite difficult to prove defamation, and forewarns business owners that courts hesitate to restrict freedom of speech on the Internet, she provides business owners reassurance that they are not helpless against egregious false posts. Nevertheless, for business owners trying to protect their reputations online, the easiest defense may be to weaken competitors’ bad reviews by encouraging good ones from loyal clients and supporters.
- Summary by FizzLaw Team
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Part 1: Stopping Competitors from Posting False Reviews and Bad Publicity on Social Networking Sites