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It is no secret that businesses depend heavily on their reputation to gain and keep their customers. It is also no secret that reviews posted online whether in public or private websites play a big role in boosting business as most people now search for local businesses on the web instead of the yellow pages. Reading something positive about a certain business can attract potential customers while bad reviews can do the exact opposite. While negative reviews are bad enough, what’s even worse are false reviews that contain malicious comments aimed primarily toward ruining your business and your reputation. In case you are wondering whether removing false reviews is possible or not, below is a quick guide that will help you determine what you should and should not do.

Websites: Are They Liable?

Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, websites such as Google and Yelp are not liable in any way for reviews posted on websites they own even if the content is defamatory. When it comes to removing false reviews, they will often ignore any request to remove these reviews unless you take legal action. Even if you take legal action, you may find it difficult to get a response from the site’s legal department but it is possible if you know how to go about it the right way.

What You Should Do

For Google, Yelp, Yahoo, and other similar websites to do anything about a false review, you will need to file a lawsuit through your attorney not against the website itself but against the person who made the review. The website will not be held liable for the defamatory review but they will be obliged to remove it in case the court rules in your favor. You may also try to file a complaint first with the website publisher to have the review removed which will not only cost you nothing but will also prevent any unwarranted attention to your business. This option is less likely to make Google take any action but in case it does work, then the false review will be removed faster.

What You Should Not Do

There are certain limits when it comes to websites responding to subpoenas served to them. Take for example Google, which will only respond if the subpoena is served in California. A subpoena serve outside California will only make it harder to get a response from Google and greatly decrease your chances of removing false reviews online.

When it comes to having false reviews removed, make sure that the website has control over it and has some responsibility over it before making any contact. Lawsuits can become very messy so make sure that you know what you are getting yourself into before filing for one. Do not resort to writing false positive reviews about your business as a means of countering the effects of the bad reviews. Not only is this professionally unethical but will also help you achieve nothing as you are merely fooling yourself and your customers. Focus instead on doing well with your business so that you can get positive reviews from your customers.

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