Bad On-Line Reviews
SOMEONE LEFT A BAD ON-LINE REVIEW ABOUT ME
People are quick to jump to social media to start trashing a business or service provider. My own business clients will frequently call me and complain that some random customer has left a defamatory and salacious comment in their customer feedback section and now they want to sue that individual.
In the alternative, some clients will mention how they will use on-line tools to vent their frustration towards a particular business owner.
Typically, in my opinion its never worth it to pursue either. Recently, a very interesting case was discussed in the Toronto Star where a wedding photographer was awarded $100,000 against a former customer who left very negative and defamatory on-line comments. I suspect there will be more cases like this in the future.
This case should serve as a cautionary tale. Customers who feel they have been wronged should be very careful about what they write on-line. Moreover, they should be prepared to back up their comments and any potential civil action that may arise therein.
For business owners they should be aware that customers will use social media to criticize their business. This doesn’t mean the business owner should always be trembling in fear. A business owner should gauge whether the comments are actually harming their business reputation. More importantly for business owners who offer on-line public customer feedback, they should be prepared that some may decide to abuse the process.
LAWYER IN BURLINGTON
Call me I am a lawyer in Burlington servicing Oakville as well.
anytime for a free consultation