When choosing a restaurant or planning an overseas
trip, many people will look to online reviews to guide their decisions.
Websites like Urbanspoon, TripAdvisor and WOMO allow users to share
their experiences at hotels, restaurants, spas and countless other
businesses. Many users write in detail about their likes and dislikes,
rating the service they received while providing advice they feel may be
useful to potential customers. In a crowded marketplace, it’s no wonder
that review sites like these are frequently consulted and can have a
big influence on where people decide to take their business.
But
what can you do if you find a scathing online review that is damaging
to your business? Can you take the attacker to court for defamation? The
simple answer is yes – but only if you are a small business with fewer
than 10 employees. Lawyer and solicitor Glenn Duker explains.
Australian law allows small businesses to take action
over malicious material posted to online review sites and business
bad-mouthers can face thousands of dollars in penalties. In one extreme
case, a NSW food critic for a major newspaper was ordered to pay more
than $60,000 to a restaurant he reviewed poorly after a legal battle
that spanned almost a decade.
However, it’s not necessarily an easy process: for a
small business to be successful in a defamation case, it will need to be
proven that the online review was not an honest opinion of the
reviewer, or that review was maliciously produced with the express
intention of damaging your business’ reputation.
If you find yourself in a circumstance like this and
want to find out if you may have a legitimate case, get in touch with
lawyer and solicitor Glenn Duker for professional advice.
Visit Today:- http://www.glenndukersolicitor.com.au/
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