Can Customers Be Sued for Leaving a Bad Review?
Highlights
A business can sue if an online review is untruthful, libelous, slanderous, defames character, intentionally interferes with business expectancy, violates privacy rights, or breaches a contract.
A lawsuit is usually not usually the preferred course of action when dealing with negative reviews.
In most cases, online reviewers are protected as long as their statements are truthful. In fact, in the US, most states have laws that make it illegal for businesses to interfere with or manipulate online reviews.
It’s the golden era of online reviews. No one is spared from the judgment of strangers anymore. If you’re a business owner, you might cringe at that idea – and then wonder how to change it. Spoiler alert: suing the reviewer is usually not the best course of action.
Sections
Can you sue someone for an online review?
Are there protections for online reviewers?
Examples of lawsuits over online reviews
What do you do when a customer is unhappy?
Can you sue for bad reviews FAQs