Online review defamation is a specific legal issue concerning fake and reputation-damaging ratings on third-party platforms (TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Facebook Reviews, Amazon, and local directories). Unlike general social media posts, reviews have a direct financial impact on a business. Statistically, over 90% of consumers read reviews before buying. Consequently, defamation in a review is not just emotional damage—it is business sabotage. Legally, the main challenge here is drawing the line between "consumer subjective dissatisfaction" (which is protected) and "intentional falsehood" (which is actionable). If a client writes, "The hotel smelled bad," that may be their perception. But if they write, "The hotel manager is a convicted criminal," that is a fact that is either true or defamation. The lawyer's role is to verify these facts and communicate correctly with platforms to get them removed.
What does the Online Review Defamation service cover?
The service aims to establish legal order on review platforms:
- Content Legal Analysis: Deconstructing the review—does it contain factual allegations (Fact) or just evaluations (Opinion). Only factual falsehood is legally actionable.
- Disputes with Platforms: Communicating with legal teams of Booking, TripAdvisor, and others to prove that the review violates their rules (e.g., irrelevance, written by a competitor) or local legislation.
- Warning the Author: Sending an official claim to the identified author demanding voluntary removal of the review.
- Damages Compensation: Seeking damages through court if it is proven that the review caused cancellations or a drop in sales.
Common Scenarios and Needs
Businesses often face these situations: Hotels and Restaurants: A guest who broke rules (e.g., smoked in the room) and was fined writes a false review about unsanitary conditions out of revenge. Medical Clinics: A patient writes that a doctor has no license (which is a lie), damaging the doctor's professional reputation. Online Stores: A competitor orders a product, cancels the order, and then writes that the product is of poor quality. Real Estate Agencies: A dissatisfied client accuses an agent of fraud in a public review.
Georgian Legislation and Regulations
Defamation in reviews is covered by the Law of Georgia on Freedom of Speech and Expression. The law protects criticism but not defamation. Most platforms (e.g., TripAdvisor) have policies whereby they comply with court decisions. Meaning, if a Georgian court determines a review is defamation, the platform will remove it. Also important is the Law on Consumer Rights Protection, which prohibits misleading consumers—a fake review is exactly misleading consumers.
Step-by-Step Process
The lawyer collects evidence that the facts in the review are false (e.g., sanitation inspection report, doctor's license). The first step is using the platform's internal appeal system with legal argumentation. If the platform refuses, an official letter is sent. If the author is known, a dispute is initiated against them. Often, a single call or letter from a lawyer is enough for the author to delete the review themselves.
Why Legal.ge?
Fighting online reviews is exhausting for businesses. Legal.ge offers professionals who will take care of your digital image. We do not use illegal methods; we use the law to protect your business from unscrupulous attacks. Clean your page from lies with the help of Legal.ge.
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