'Online Reputation' Firm Continues Saber Rattling At TripAdvisor

from the file-a-damn-lawsuit-or-pipe-down dept

Fri, Sep 24th 2010 12:05am — Mike Masnick

We recently wrote about a so-called "online reputation management" company that was getting a lot of press attention for promising to sue TripAdvisor for reviews that certain venues didn't like and believed to be defamatory. As we mentioned at the time, this felt a lot more like a publicity stunt for the company (which we won't name for that reason), while noting that, in the US at least, TripAdvisor was rightfully protected against claims of defamation on content from users, thanks to Section 230. In the UK, where the reputation management firm is based, it's not quite as clear cut.

LawandLit points us to the news that the company is ramping up the foot stomping and insisting that it really really really really will sue TripAdvisor, just you wait and see! Or, at least, that's what it comes across as from what's being said.

Perhaps more interesting, however, is that the company is now saying that it's also prepared to go after the writers of the actual reviews. While that's at least moving the liability in the right direction, it does make you wonder if such an effort will seriously backfire. I mean, a hotel that sues a customer for a bad review might not get many more bad reviews... but it might not get many more customers, either.

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Filed Under: defamation, uk
Companies: tripadvisor

6 Comments

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Jeff, 24 Sep 2010 @ 12:45am

Or... BETTER IDEA!
If people are complaining about how your services suck, why not look into it and see if they are telling the truth.

If you really are providing a terrible service, then instead of spending money to sue people, why not do something about your service.. say... oh... FIX THEM?

Suing people that point out how bad your services are... is not very good PR.
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Jeff, 24 Sep 2010 @ 12:45am

Or... BETTER IDEA!
If people are complaining about how your services suck, why not look into it and see if they are telling the truth.

If you really are providing a terrible service, then instead of spending money to sue people, why not do something about your service.. say... oh... FIX THEM?

Suing people that point out how bad your services are... is not very good PR.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2010 @ 2:59am

So this means that Brits are going FOR CENSORSHIP?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJOK5dbrSpM
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abc gum, 24 Sep 2010 @ 5:19am

How can it be defamatory if it is the truth?
I suppose in the future one should provide evidence along with the review in order to mitigate these temper tantrums.
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porkster, 24 Sep 2010 @ 2:55pm

Contribulations
As a contributer to TripAdvisor would it really be smart (for a hotel) to drag me into court to tell them how bad their hotel is? I would have to give you my true and honest opinion on what I think of the hotel, its service and I'd be damn sure to insist the the proceedings were broadcast in one way or another.

What would that do for the hotel? They should save there money and spend it on better service and quality fittings.
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Frank, 1 Oct 2010 @ 7:22pm

I am all with #5 above. Reputation management has to be strategic and lawsuits mostly fire backwards. But who knows...maybe just a publicity stunt/linkbait.
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