Bashing Companies Online

[jcv400ex]

Guys, just a warning on people who like to go onto public forums or other online social sites and start bashing companies over an issue. Companies aren't going to put up with it and will start sueing.

Link (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/17/law.technology/index.html)

[derekhonda]

Well thats a load of crap.

[fastredrider44]

agreed.

[jcv400ex]

I agree it's a load of crap, but until someone in the legal system stands up to these companies, it's going to happen.

I just don't want to see someone get pissed over their nerf bars breaking and going online to start bashing a place and end up with a $50,000 lawsuit. :ermm:

[fastredrider44]

I praise the companies I like and will tell others my experience with a company that did not go so well, But I will not go out of my way to intentionally bash a company.

[mx8]

Don't sell sh*t and rip people off and no one will have to worry about getting bad feedback.;)

[F-16Guy]

I think the main point in the article is that Love made FALSE allegations. If you get on a site and give factual information and back it up with evidence (pictures, ect.) you'll probably be fine. Companies may opt to try to shut you up with a frivilous SLAP lawsuit designed to bleed you dry monitarily, but with a tight community like the ATV/bike community, it would be PR suicide. The lesson is: don't let your emotions get the better of you and cause diarrhea of the mouth.

[Black Sheep]

I have to agree with this to a point.


If you rip someone off that is one thing.

But, too many people, especially on these website forums, use there personal feelings to attack a business even though they have had no business dealings with them.

[dehner47]

freedom of speech anyone???

[fastredrider44]

slander?

[dehner47]

its only "slander" if your talking crap on someone/company that isn't true. if your only stating the fact of what experience you had with this paticular company or person, then thats not considered "slander". correct??

[One_Bad_400]

Thats what she gets for killing Kurt Cobain. HAHA J/P, dont sue me Courtney.

[rollie]

wow, all our rights are slowly being taken from us it seems

[fastredrider44]

Originally posted by dehner47
its only "slander" if your talking crap on someone/company that isn't true. if your only stating the fact of what experience you had with this paticular company or person, then thats not considered "slander". correct??

that's the way I see it.

[250x_kyle]

i do disagree with bashing a company to just bash, but when you pay for your parts that are "in stock" and have been told they are "shipped out" and it takes six weeks a handfull fo phone calls and they show up the next day with a shipping lable from the day before i tend to get agitated.

[Pappy]

There are stark diffences between a legitimate grievence and commiting "Liable". There should be consequences for false accusations online against companies and people.

^Read that carefully before you reply

[derekhonda]

Yeah, if it's true you can say whatever basically. Love in my opinion is very guilty of that plus she is a public figure (and ill use that term loosely) but the bottom line is her voice gets heard more than yours or mine.

Now if you read the article, there is just a single woman and she is not famous, and she put something up about her landlord that is probably a mostly true statement, but they are sueing her. I can't imagine the lawsuit against her will pan out to anything.

[250x_kyle]

Originally posted by Pappy
There are stark diffences between a legitimate grievence and commiting "Liable". There should be consequences for false accusations online against companies and people.

^Read that carefully before you reply

I just kind of thought of it in a differnt perspective. You can get sued by a person or persons that are hurt while robbing your house. Whos to say that it couldn't come in to play here.

[slightlybent47]

Originally posted by dehner47
freedom of speech anyone???

So sue me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pappy]

Originally posted by 250x_kyle
I just kind of thought of it in a differnt perspective. You can get sued by a person or persons that are hurt while robbing your house. Whos to say that it couldn't come in to play here.

I agree with your first statement. If a company has poor service, or a product that isnt what it's claimed to be, the internet is a platform to let others know. Thats different then going online and calling the company names, calling their product junk, calling the owner and employees names etc. Ive been involved in alot of this stuff (wish I hadnt) and alot of times the customer is in the wrong. Unfortunatley, to many companies fail to be honest and meet customer expectations as well so its a two way street. My dad used to tell me that if I wouldnt say it in front of a judge, then dont put it in writing. More then once that kept me out of trouble when responding to customer or employee related issues.

People in general are just spiteful and hateful in general and dont overlook a chance to let it all hang out. As long as there are fact and truth in their rant, no worries, but if there isnt, that does open the door for a lawsuit. You can sue someone for anything, where it leads to is up to a court.

I think the next 5 years will see the internet brought into line in regards to legalities with cases of Liable (Thats Slander but written or typed) I also see at some point, online sales being taxed.

One thing for certain, things NEVER stay the same for long:p

[Pappy]

Originally posted by dehner47
freedom of speech anyone???

As stated in the article, Freedom of Speech garuntees you that right not to be infringed on by the government. A private website has the right to remove any content it see's fit and is usually outlined in its Terms of Service or Use. In effect, a website does not infringe on your right to say something, it merely takes away the platform from which you are saying it.

If I log into my Nikon account and post information that is false, damaging or libelous, should not they have the right to either remove it from their property or seek damages?

Anonimity is a key issue here as well. In our sport, most can figure out who is who and real names quite easy, but imagine how hard it would be on a site with 350k members and no one uses real names and fake emails? Just visit most any cable news comment section and you can see how hard it would be to find and PROVE that an anonomous writer was a certain person. Im sure the technology is there but the law in many ways prevents access to a certain point for gaining that info. Heck, visit any hate groups websites ...same deal.

Interesting topic....especially if you follow legal cases that involve the internet and murder. Usually within a week of a murder, the news is reporting the online life of the suspect and the victim....and you thought you were anonomous:p

[SRH]

i see alot of companies products being torn to pieces when its not there products fault....the damage is done whether there is a law suit....or its retracted...it makes it tough for companies... but there is times id agree it was warranted and im sure as long as there is information to back it up youll be ok

[destey]

Its all a grey area. I read the reviews of the products my company sells. People take a small thing and make a mountain out of it. Usually throwing in a few bits of fact with a few lies to help make their case. Embelishing just about everything.

Truth is its very hard to prove libel and slander. Look at Rush Limbaugh. Fabricated racists quotes he never said cost him ownership in an NFL team. I know some of you can't put aside your feelings about him, but its true.

[jcv400ex]

Originally posted by Pappy
My dad used to tell me that if I wouldnt say it in front of a judge, then dont put it in writing.

People in general are just spiteful and hateful in general and dont overlook a chance to let it all hang out. As long as there are fact and truth in their rant, no worries, but if there isnt, that does open the door for a lawsuit. You can sue someone for anything, where it leads to is up to a court.

I think the next 5 years will see the internet brought into line in regards to legalities with cases of Liable (Thats Slander but written or typed) I also see at some point, online sales being taxed.


There's alot of truth there guys!! People want to pass the blame onto everyone and everything. It's like online reviews. Christmas time is upon us and I'm looking at GPS's. Some people bashed the heck out of the product, simply because of a bad experience at the store they bought it from! One person ranked the GPS as 1 star simply because the clerk put the reciept in the bag and didn't hand it to him.....

But Ken is right, it's going to be very interesting in the coming years with regards to the internet and the "Big Government" officials we have in office right now.

[buck440]

hay apple how do you like these apples:D rockstar energy drink sucks!!! kia is the biggest pos company EVER. let the sueing begin lol

[mxduner]

we all know all about political correctness and hear goes another chapter of it...

People on forums do take the 'easy' route and pass the buck onto companys...

there is 2 sides to the story, where is the 3rd side:devil: