Legal liability of website operators in the UK

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TheInternet LawCentre

Online reviews

Legal advice on fake or defamatory online reviews

Fake and defamatory online reviews are often extremely damaging to local and to national businesses. Negative online reviews on websites such as TripAdvisor, are rather harmful to small and local businesses, whilst fake reviews on GlassDoor tend to have a major adverse impact on larger businesses and on start-ups.

Spotting fake online reviews

Unmasking the identity of internet users who post fake reviews

Removing defamatory online reviews from review websites

Taking posters of fake online reviews to court

Spotting fake online reviews

It is often difficult to prove that an online review is in fact fake. The business owner might know that a review is fake but getting the proof that might be not as straight forward. Having assisted hundreds of clients in relation to thousands of fake and defamatory online reviews, it is often our job to spot the characteristics of a fake online review and then produce the proof needed to show that a particular online review is fake.

Unmasking the identity of internet users who post fake reviews

One of the firm’s specialities is the unmasking of publishers of fake online reviews. We go about using IP addresses, cross referenced email addresses, linked email accounts, linked websites and other investigative tools to enable our clients to unmask the true identification of whoever is behind a fake, defamatory online review.

Removing defamatory online reviews from review websites

Often, our clients’ ultimate goal is to facilitate the removal of fake and defamatory online reviews. Our lawyers have so far removed thousands of defamatory online reviews from review websites all over the world. We are able to use judicial tools and strategies to facilitate removal of defamatory online reviews even from review websites that are located in the United States.

Taking posters of fake online reviews to court

In many cases, it transpires that the authors of the defamatory or fake online reviews are people known to our clients. Most likely these are competitors, former employees or disgruntled customers. Whilst removing the fake reviews from the review websites is important, holding authors of fake online reviews to account is often as important for our clients.
The case of RRR PLC v Gary Carp

Defamation by investor case where a shareholder was held liable for defaming a company
A case of a successful ICO right to be forgotten appeal

A successful case of ICO right to be forgotten appeal
The case of the removal of a professional disciplinary hearing from Google

How to remove a publication of professional disciplinary hearing from Google
The case of fake online reviews against a dental clinics

How dental clinics can effectively deal with fake and defamatory online reviews
Injunction against Google
The case of removal of fake reviews from TripAdvisor

How to remove a defamatory fake reviews from TripAdvisor
Handling online reputation attack globally

The case of removal of search results from Google worldwide
Cross jurisdiction case of harassment

How to stop a UK harasser from harassing someone in another country
Defamation on TrustPilot case

How to remove fake reviews from TrustPilot
Defamation on Twitter case

How to handle defamation on Twitter by an anonymous user
Defamation by competitors case

What to do if someone is slandering your business on the internet

If you have recently suffered defamation by competitors or if someone is slandering your business, you might be able to do something about it but you will need to act fast.
Google disclosure request

A full guide to Google disclosure requests
Website operators

Legal support for website operators in the UK

Operators of websites in the UK could find themselves liable for various wrongdoings by virtue of operating a website, publishing posts, moderating posts, advertising goods and services or collecting users’ private information. It is important for website operators in the UK to understand their potential legal liabilities and to safeguard themselves against legal claims by internet users, by competitors or by regulatory and law enforcement bodies.

The law that governs the supply of services and the sale of goods online in the UK involves a variety of legal obligations, regulations and statutes from a number of areas of law. As your online start up business grows and develops, so will your legal and business needs, which are going to become more significant. In the event where you ever want to put your business up for sale, merger or acquisition, you will certainly want the legal foundations of your business to be solid strong and supported by an experienced legal team that will be supporting you throughout the process of growth.

Because all of our work is focused on the law of the internet, our lawyers are perfectly placed to assist and support operators of websites in the UK with matters of compliance with contacts, website terms and conditions, trading standard matters, anti-competition law, trademarks, online marketing, promotion and advertising laws. From the point of designing your new intent business, you should speak with one of our experienced internet lawyers who will become one of your best trusted advisors throughout the creation and the operation of your internet business.
Defamation

Internet defamation lawyer

There are many defamation lawyers in London but there are only a handful who truly understand with clarity social media and the internet. It is often the case that the merits of your defamation case should be assessed by your lawyer through different angles and having a strong defamation case in law, is only one of them.

How to win a defamation case

Early action when responding to defamation

Why choose Cohen Davis defamation lawyers

How to win a defamation case

Before embarking on a full scale defamation case, which could lead to a glorious victory, but at the risk of further dissemination of the defamatory statements through reporting by the press of the defamation proceedings, we will work with you on what winning your defamation case means to you. The internet is full of reputational risks and whilst it is possible to have them all supressed, winning a defamation claim on its own is often insufficient. This is particularly true if the defamation has spread, or is likely to be spread across websites, social media and jurisdictions. To truly win a defamation claim, you will need something more than your defamation lawyer’s strategy to win your defamation court case.

Some of the most recognised defamation solicitors and barristers in the UK will focus on winning your defamation case in court, but this wouldn’t necessarily mean that you “won” your defamation case. When it comes to defamation on the internet, your court case is one battle of many. Winning a defamation case is great, but often insufficient. There are other battles to be won and your defamation lawyer will plan your case so that each battle, with search engines, with social media companies and over public opinion is fought and won, hard and smart.

Early action when responding to defamation

When it comes to defamation on the internet, you can never tell for sure what those who wish you harm are up to. They might be planning and plotting, preparing and conspiring which means your defamation lawyer must be at least be one step ahead throughout your representation.

The sooner you seek the right legal advice, the better the outcome of your case is likely to be. When a team of dedicated defamation lawyers successfully prevents articles and internet posts appearing online in the first place, the credit for this success should be given to our intelligent clients who have the wisdom to act fast.

Why choose Cohen Davis defamation lawyers

We are outcome focused. It is too easy for a defamation lawyer to get carried away and perhaps forget about what the objective is all about. Vindications, apologies, payment of damages and defamation injunctions are instruments that your defamation lawyer could use to help you achieve your gaols. The pursue of a defamation case isn't to obtain a defamation injunction, for example, but to bring you a peace of mind and a satisfactory closure to an unpleasant ordeal.

An outcome focused approach, also means that we constantly look at ways to close any gaps that might end up undermining your achievements. An outcome focused approach also means that the solution must fit within your budget and that the strategy for winning your defamation case must be tailor planned for you and for your needs and abilities.

Finally, an outcome focused approach to winning defamation cases, means that we always assign the right defamation lawyer to meet the needs of your case. We make sure that only specialists and experienced defamation lawyers work on our clients’ cases and that the experience must be related to our clients’ current defamation issue.
Reputation crisis

Reputation and crisis management

Reputation crisis management has numerous aspects to it, such as technical, organisational and legal. Managing the press, pre-empting painful allegations, minimising impact, dealing with customers’ needs, aligning the organisation and handling related legal matters, require experience and skill, which our lawyers are on standby to offer.

Co-ordinated reputation crisis management

Strategised approach to reputation crisis management

Clear communication during and following a reputation crisis

Co-ordinated reputation crisis management

As expert social media lawyers for over 25 years, we offer an instant in-house attendance to consider, advise and deploy legal advice, together with a healthy mix of rich experience and common sense. We work with Britain’s top communications and PR consultants who are well connected with the press and who assist us in deploying a quick and effective press response task whenever necessary.

Strategised approach to reputation crisis management

Moving away from a defensive to an advantageous position as fast as possible during times of reputation and crisis, also means a faster recovery and the opportunity to turn a crisis into progress. Legal advice must take this healthy approach into consideration. We believe that your focus must shift quickly away from the crisis to progress.

Clear communication during and following a reputation crisis

Naturally, a reputation crisis tends to throw systems and processes into chaos. Our job as reputation crisis lawyers is to help you straighten the lines quickly by replacing confusion with certainty. This often requires a clear, tailored, and strategic approach to communicate with clients, customers, your employees and other stakeholders, such as investors, contractors, of course, the press.

During a reputation crisis, communications must be consistent and legally vetted to ensure avoiding creating confusion or prejudicing any legal process. Our lawyers are trained to deliver a fast, calm and a well-considered communication approach in all circumstances.
Defamation solicitors

Defamation solicitors with focus on internet and social media law
Defamation injunctions

Is it possible to obtain defamation injunctions prior to publication
Fraudulent review websites

How to deal with fraudulent review websites
False accusation of rape on social media

What to do if you are falsely accused of rape on social media
Remove defamation from Facebook 01 May 2014

Location: United State, California.
Pages removed from: Facebook.

Date of removal: 1 May 2014.

Number of web pages removed: 1.

Additional information: Our defamation solicitors removed 1 defamatory Facebook Page together with history and referring links from various Facebook accounts on behalf of our client, who works in the entertainment industry and who suffered for many months from defamation on Facebook.
Harassment on Tattle.life

What to do if you are being harassed on Tattle.life
The case of Phipps v Britton-unmasking internet trolls

What to do if you need to uncover the identity of your internet troll
Cancel culture defamation

Suing for defamation after being cancelled
Online business

Legal advice for Internet and Online businesses

The law that governs the supply of services and the sale of goods online in the UK involves a variety of legal obligations, regulations and statutes from a number of areas of law.

As your online start up business grows and develops, so will your legal and business needs, which are going to become more significant. In the event where you ever want to put your business up for sale, merger or acquisition, you will certainly want the legal foundations of your business to be solid strong and supported by an experienced legal team that will be supporting you throughout the process of growth.
Falsely accused of rape

What to do if you are falsely accused of rape
Legal action for defamation

Important factors to consider before taking legal action for defamation on the internet
Removing defamation from the internet

Alternatives to litigation in defamation cases
Legal liability of forum operators in the UK

Are website operators in the UK responsible for comments posted on their website by third parties
How to avoid posting a defamatory online review

How to write an online review which is not defamatory
Online Defamation on YouTube

How to remove a defamatory YouTube video
Legal action for libel

How to make a sensible decision whether to take legal action for libel
Defamation by employees

How to prevent becoming a victim of defamation by former employees and partners
Disgruntled employees and company reputation

How companies can protect themselves from disgruntled employees
Defamation on Blogger
SEO and online reputation management

Does SEO work to clear bad online reputation
Internet defamation lawyers

How to choose a defamation lawyer
How to remove online reviews from review websites

How to remove online reviews from review websites outside the UK
Online reputation strategies

Working together with your legal team to create effective online reputation strategies
Internet law for business

What laws affect online businesses in the UK
Online reputation attack legal advice

How to respond to an online reputation attack
Defamation removal letter

Slander and libel warning letter to the website operator
Disclosure Orders

Website disclosure orders

You can obtain disclosure from nearly any website operator and/or domain name registrar. Our firm specialises in obtaining disclosure orders from website operators and from domain registrars who operate from different jurisdictions. In nearly all cases, we have been successful in securing disclosure orders for our clients regardless of the location of the website, blog or social media platform.

Obtain disclosure from website operators

Obtain disclosure from a UK website operator

Obtain disclosure from US website operators

Obtain disclosure of domain name owners

Obtain disclosure of online harassers

Obtain disclosure from website operators

Over the past 25 years, we have developed special working relationships with internet law attorneys from many parts of the world. Often, together with our international network of local attorneys, we obtain disclosure orders from website operators, through local courts at lower costs and higher speed.

When our clients require disclosure orders from various website operators in the United States, which are located in different states, we are often able to file a claim and a disclosure subpoena in a single court and then have the subpoena domesticated throughout the United Sates.

This process often results in high speed and lower costs in obtaining various disclosure orders from different websites where the disclosures are required as part of a single claim.

Obtain disclosure from UK website operator

We always plan and co-ordinate the different needs to obtain various disclosure orders from UK website operators, in a way that is aimed to produce an optimum outcome for our clients.

Because our long-term experience in obtaining disclosure orders from website operators in the UK, we can tell, in many cases, what information each website operator has in their possession and how to approach the website operators so that they will co-operate with our disclosure application.

In nearly all cases, we do that ground work before we get to court, which helps reduce the costs to our clients and to have a smooth third-party disclosure hearing at court.

Obtain disclosure from US website operators

Disclosure orders from website operators in the US, should be handled with care and in a way that will not end up being counter productive to the applicant. There are website operators in the US who are keen to protect their anonymous users’ identities and who will therefore contest most disclosure applications on the grounds of free speech.

Navigating through the various legal processes in the different states in the US could be a challenging task to the unfamiliar foreign litigant. We have a trusted record when it comes to obtaining disclosure from US website operators, which makes Cohen Davis a preferred internet law specialist UK law firm for UK based individuals and companies who wish to obtain disclosure orders through the American courts.

Obtain disclosure of domain name owners

It is possible for individuals to register domain names under a pseudonym and with very few verifiable details, a fact which often makes it nearly impossible to track down someone who registered a domain name for the purpose of defaming or harassing an individual or a company.

Exposing the registered owner of a particular domain name, is often a challenge that even a local court is unable to overcome. Depending on the registrar’s location, we can challenge the validity of a domain name registration in various ways, including through local courts, through internet service providers and through Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Obtain disclosure of online harassers

Online harassers often prefer to hide behind a pseudonym but even in cases that lasted for over 13 years of online harassment, we have been able to identify and locate the individuals harassing our clients.

We facilitate the disclosure of online harassers by carrying out covert and open investigator work and by pursuing various legal avenues, which may include obtaining disclosure orders through courts in the UK and around the world and by then tracking down the whereabouts of the online harasser, to bring him or her to justice.
Reputation crisis management

How to handle PR and reputation crisis
Legal advice social media

Legal advice about social media from an expert social media lawyer
Fake online reviews about a restaurant

Fake online reviews about restaurants legal advice
Moderating posts on a review website

Moderating posts on a review website. What are the requirements and what should your policy be

There are different rules for website operators in the UK, which place more responsibility on them rather than on operators of websites in the United States.

Can a website operator be sued for defamation

What are the website moderation requirements in the UK

How website operators in the UK should respond to complaints about content

Legal support for website operators in the UK

Can a website operator be sued for defamation

Yes. A website operator, who operates a website which is published in the UK, can be sued for defamation in the UK in relation to posts by third party users. UK law is relatively stringent when it comes to the liability for defamation of website and forum operators. In the USA, a forum or a review website operator, whether they moderate posts or not, are, generally speaking, immune from liability. Whilst the immunity only applies to US based companies, when the same companies operate in the UK, they become the subject on English defamation law, and as a result, could be found liable for defamation in the UK in relation to third party posts. A relatively unique feature of English law, is that it assumes a world-wide jurisdiction, which means English laws may have an impact on US website operators, if they publish defamatory posts against someone who is located in the UK.

What are the website moderation requirements in the UK

In relation to moderating posts on a website, whilst there is no such requirement under English law, website operators are expected to act responsibly and promptly, or they may face legal liability to posts that are defamatory or that breach privacy rights or data protection laws. To moderate all comments on a high-traffic online forum is naturally a very time-consuming and perhaps unrealistic task. Consequently, taking down posts upon notification and evaluation might be adequate, although this is not necessarily a requirement for a UK based website. Some website operators choose not to proactively moderate their websites but instead relay on complaints that they receive from the website users. This, generally speaking, should be adequate and acceptable in terms of their legal requirements.

How website operators in the UK should respond to complaints about content

Failure to respond to complaints about content, could result in liability of the website operator to third party content. It is not an option for a website operator to prevent internet users from posting complaints as there are legal requirements for website operators to publish up-to-date contact details on their websites. As a website operator in the UK, you might want to provide a link on each page of the website, to direct internet users to process of reporting inappropriate content. Website operators’ liability to any posts by third parties may be determined by the way the website operator responds to the notification of harmful content by internet users.

Legal support for website operators in the UK

If you operate a website in the UK and you feel that you need to have a legal opinion in relation to your compliance with the law, or advice on what your removal policy should be, please feel free to get in touch and we will help. Our lawyers provide on the spot legal advice to put to rest concerns by website and online forum operators regarding policies and legal notices. Following initial instructions, we will be able to effectively provide you with legal advice promptly and in a cost-effective way whenever you require this guidance.
Defamation by investors on social media

Defamation against a company and defamation against directors
Are fake reviews illegal in the UK

Is it illegal to post fake online reviews
Fake online reviews
Remove reviews from Yelp.com

How to remove a review from Yelp.com
Remove review from Review Centre

How to remove a business review from ReviewCentre
Norwich Pharmacal Order

Social media disclosure orders
Why choose Cohen Davis solicitors

Social media lawyers and internet law specialists
International reputation management

Online reputation attack in the UK legal advice
A review of Cohen Davis legal practice

Why clients choose to work with Cohen Davis Solicitors
Social media legal advice for parents

What to do when you child requires legal advice in connection to the use of social media
Business defamation on Google

What to do if your business is defamed on Google
Legal action for negative review

Can a company take legal action for a negative review
Defamation on a review website
Removing search results under a right to be forgotten

Who can have search results removed under a right to be forgotten
Defamation cease and desist letter

Sending a pre-action protocol letter following a defamatory publication online
Harassment and defamation on the internet

Can you sue someone for spreading lies about you on the internet?
Defamation on websites

What to do if you have been defamed on the internet
Moderating a review website
Defamation and social media law in the UK
Remove online reviews
Google business defamation
Defamation claim against the police
Defamation by an Ex-Employee
Defamation with SEO
Remove defamation from PropertyTribes 03 April 2014

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom.

Pages removed from: Property Tribes.

Date of removal: 03 April 2014.

Number of web pages removed: 10+.

Additional information: 1 defamatory thread. Our defamation solicitors assisted in the removal of a thread of defamatory posts against our client, an international property agent. This was achieved through communication with the website operator and without the need for litigation.
Remove defamation from Twitter 19 May 2016

Jurisdiction: United States
Pages removed from: Twitter

Date of removal: 20 May 2016

Number of pages removed: 1

Additional information: Our client became victim of blackmail on the internet which was carried out on social media by a number of individuals. Our defamation lawyers took swift action to close down a defamatory Twitter account because it was used to defame and spread false allegations against our client.
Remove defamation from RipOffReport.com 6 June 2016

Jurisdiction: United States
Pages removed from: RipOffReport.com

Date of removal: 6 June 2016

Number of pages removed: 5

Additional information: Our client was located in the USA but had substantial business interests in the United Kingdom. First, our client with the help of our US internet law attorneys obtained an injunction in the US to prevent the publication of the defamation on RipOffReport, enforcing the injunction in relation to the false RipOffReport on Google. However, Google insisted that as our client's injunction was obtained in the USA, Google was not obliged to honour it in relation to its Google search engines across the EU.

Our client, who has business interests across the globe fought Google for more than 12 months until our defamation lawyers managed to persuade Google's lawyers to de-list the defamatory RipOffReport from searches across the European Union.

Eventually we de-listed a total of 5 RipOffReport pages from Google searches results across the EU. We strongly recommend that you instruct a solicitor to deal with the removal of defamation on RipOffReport from search engines and that you do not attempt to do this yourself. If you require an injunction, our lawyers will work out with you the best jurisdiction for your case to obtain it and if required will work together with our US internet law attorneys whose offices are located just outside the courthouse in Tempe, Arizona.
Remove review from Google and MoneySavingExpert.co.uk 09 February 2017

Jurisdiction: United States
Review removed from: MoneySavingExert.co.uk

Date of removal: 09 February 2017

Number of pages removed: 1

Additional information: Our client is a successful director of a small business installing driveways and patios and was subjected to defamation on the internet. The defamation included the creation of a forum where comments were posted with the aim of damaging the business’ reputation. As well as a poor Google review leaving no explanation. The defamatory posts appeared prominently on Google search results and were ultimately causing a loss in the number of new customers. Our specialist team of internet lawyers successfully facilitated the removal of the defamatory material from www.MoneySavingExpert.co.uk and from Google search results.
Remove review from Google: dentist 15 June 2017

Jurisdiction: United States
Reviews removed from: Google Business listings

Date of removal: 15 June 2017

Number of reviews removed: 5

Additional information: Our client is a dental practice with several dental clinics across London. Over a brief period of time our client's Google listings of one of its dental practices has been subjected to 5 highly negative Google reviews. The dental practice was unable to trace any individuals with the names given by the Google uses who posted the online reviews so our lawyers obtained a court order, permitting Google to disclose to us information and data which Google had collected in relation to each of the Google users who posted a defamatory review about our client’s dental clinic. The disclosure from Google revealed that none of the Google reviewers were ever a patient of our client's dental clinic. This information helped us to facilitate the removal of the reviews from Google Maps (Business) listings in relation to our client's dental clinic. .
Stop defamation from anonymous source 08 May 2017

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: WordPress

Date of removal: 08 May 2017

Number of pages removed: 1

Additional information: Our client, a successful mining company incorporated in Australia, was defamed on the internet. A website was published, containing highly defamatory articles with the intent of causing our client as much damage as possible. However, the website creators’ identities remained hidden, by a VPN service HidemyAss.com, allowing the campaign of defamation anonymously against our client. Our defamation and harassment solicitors successfully obtained a Norwich Pharmacal Order (NPO) against the parent company of HidemyAss.com, Privax Limited, which in turn provided the identification of the users through their IP addresses.
Remove defamation from PistonHeads 15 November 2016

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: PistonHeads forum

Date of removal: 15 November 2016

Number of pages removed: 1 post

Additional information: Our client was exposed to a campaign of defamation and harassment on the internet. Internet users who would Google the client’s company would be linked to a forum including highly defamatory adjectives. Despite the fact that the client was only mentioned in passing, the association with the website caused reputation damage to the business as well as an unquantifiable level of financial damage. Our specialist solicitors successfully made contact with the forum operators and made a request under Section 10 Data Protection Act to have the post removed which it was.
Remove defamatory review from Yell.com 20 December 2016

Jurisdiction: United States
Review removed from: Yell.com

Date of removal: 20 December 2016

Number of pages removed: 1

Additional information:Our defamation solicitors removed highly defamatory reviews posted on Yell.com on behalf of our client, a successful business owner who owned a national plumbing business and was relying on reviewing new leads through Google searches. A competitor posted fake reviews on Yell. The fake review had caused substantial loss of revenue as they were within the first page of Google when searching the client’s business. Our lawyers communicated with Yell to request that they remove the false review from Yell website. The review was removed without the need to issue future legal proceedings.
Remove review from Google maps 01 May 2017

Jurisdiction: United States
Review removed from: Google Maps

Date of removal: 02 May 2017

Number of pages removed: 1

Additional information: Our client is a small company that like many in the UK is relying on Google searches to acquire new customers. After our client increase their prices, one of their customers tried to negotiate a discount. When this was refused, the customer went on Google Maps to post a highly defamatory review against the company. This resulted in substantial financial losses to our client’s business because the false review was detailed and highly convincing to the unsuspected Google user. Following communication with the Google user, the user removed the false review from Google Maps and our client received an apology. Our client's Google Maps listing are now clean and healthy and our client is reporting that business is back to normal.
Remove defamation from RussianAnamerica.com 27 September 2013

Jurisdiction: United State, New York.
Pages removed from: Forum Russian America.com

Date of removal: 27 September 2013.

Number of web pages removed: 50+.

Additional information: Removed 2 threads. Language: Russian.
Remove defamation from Ripoff Report 23 October 2013

Jurisdiction: United State, Arizona.
Pages removed from: Rip Off Report.

Date of removal: 23 October 2013.

Number of web pages removed: 2.

Additional information: Removed defamation from RipOffReport. Obtained disclosure orders and identified poster who was subsequently arrested, prosecuted and convicted at Iselworth Crown Court. We have obtained disclosure orders, compelling RipOffReport to provide IP addresses and other identifying information about posters of defamation on RipOffReport, who attempted to ruin our client’s business. Lawyers at our associated office in Arizona were able to obtain the court orders within days of our instructions.
Removed from Google under the right to be forgotten 19 April 2016

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: Google searches (The Bury Times)

Date of removal: 19 April 2016

Number of web pages removed:1

Additional information: Our client was falsely accused of a sexual offence and acquitted many years ago. However, an ongoing publication on the topic continued to have an enormously detrimental effect on our client's life. Our privacy solicitors successfully communicated with Google and facilitated the removal of an article from search results, which had previously appeared as the second natural search result on searching our client’s name.
Deletion of Instagram accounts 04 June 2015

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom.

Pages removed from: instagram.

Date of removal: 04 June 2015.

Number of web pages removed: 75+.

Additional information: In this case our client, who works in the entertainment industry suffered harassment and abuse on Instagram. We obtained an injunction to stop the abusers from sending our client abusive Instagram messages and images. The injunction was served via Instagram on the users before Instagram agreed to disclose their details to help us identify them as UK based internet trolls.
Remove reports from ScamExposure 06 October 2015

Jurisdiction: United States,
Pages removed from:ScamExposure

Date of removal: 6 October 2015.

Number of pages removed:12 reviews.

Additional information: ScamExposure is a website which is located in the USA and which is known to be used to defame and harass businesses and individuals who are then left with little or no legal recourse to have the defamation removed from that website. Our defamation solicitors were instructed to remove defamation that appeared on ScamExposure from all Google listings after our client, a UK based mulita million pound property investment company had suffered huge financial losses following anonymous defamation on ScamExposure.
Remove fake business reviews from Google 26 October 2015

Jurisdiction: United States
Pages removed from: Google

Date of removal: 26 October 2015

Number of pages removed: 2

Additional information: Our client, a professional self-employed person, was subjected to a campaign of defamation and harassment on the internet. The campaign was carried out by competitors who spread lies about our client and about his business on the internet, including on Google business reviews. To remove Google business reviews our business defamation solicitors used their experience and understanding of Google's own terms and conditions and having wrote to Google's attorneys they had all the fake business reviews against our client removed from Google + and Google maps.
Remove defamatory reviews from Google and Google+ 11 December 2015

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: Google and Google+

Date of removal: 11 December 2015

Number of web pages removed: 2

Additional information: Our defamation lawyers acted for a national motor repair company. A disgruntled customer defamed our client’s company on the internet and said he would only agree to remove the defamation from Google + Google reviews should our client comply with his unreasonable demands. Our lawyers communicated with the author of the review to ensure removal without the need for legal proceedings. Our client was relieved to have their clean internet reputation restored. Our lawyers recommend to business owners to never agree to be blackmailed in return for removal of a defamatory review from the internet as this tends to invite further defamation and is a far less effective was to deal with online defamation than to make a statement that your company is not willing to tolerate unfair reviews or be blackmailed in return for removal of reviews from the internet. Our defamation lawyers are highly experienced in dealing with customers’ reviews and will help you resolve and overcome any dispute that demonstrates itself in negative online reviews.
Remove defamation from YouTube 2 February 2016

Jurisdiction: United States
Pages removed from: YouTube.com

Date of removal: 2 February 2016

Number of pages removed: 1 video, description and comments

Additional information: Our client, an international investment company was defamed on the internet by disgruntled investors. This included publishing a highly defamatory video on YouTube, which included defamatory comments. Interestingly, despite the size of our client's business our specialist internet lawyers manage to demonstrate serious financial harm that the defamation on YouTube was costing the company in excess of 1 million pounds. Subsequently our lawyers facilitated the removal of the defamatory YouTube video from the internet.
Removed business reviews from Google 20 October 2015

Jurisdiction: United States
Pages removed from: Google Plus

Date of removal: 20 October 2015

Number of pages removed: 2

Additional information: Our client, a professional person and a sole trader, was subjected to a campaign of online defamation, possible by competitors who were trying to ruin his business. The campaign included defamatory reviews on Google, describing our client as dishonest and his serivice as shoddy. He was described as fraud, scam and a liar. This caused him huge financial losses and the near collapse on his business. Our defamation lawyers successfully facilitated the removal of the defamatory business reviews from Google Plus.
Remove defamation from HarringayOnline.com 8 June 2016

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: www.HarringayOnline.com

Date of removal: 8 June 2016

Number of web pages removed: 1

Additional information: Our client, a party wall surveyor, was subjected to a campaign of harassment on the internet. The campaign included posting of defamatory comments that intended to harm his business. The posters falsely accused him of being dishonest and this naturally resulted in loss of revenue. The defamatory posts against our client and against his business appeared on the first page of Google search results and this caused him substantial distress. Initially, the website operators of HarringayOnline refused our client's request to remove the defamatory posts but once our defamation lawyers stepped in the matter was successfully resolved to his satisfaction.
Remove defamation from WordPress 20 May 2016

Jurisdiction: United States
Pages removed from: WordPress

Date of removal: 20 May 2016

Number of pages removed: 1

Additional information: Our client, a successful dairy farmer became victim of defamation by a disgruntled ex-employee who created a blog on WordPress defaming our client by falsely claiming he was being abused as an employee. The ex-employee commenced legal proceedings against our client in an employment tribunal which in the meantime were dismissed for lack of merits. The ex-employee used the defamatory WordPress blog to try and blackmail our client. He demanded thousands of pounds in return for the deletion of the blog. Our defamation lawyers advised our client not to pay and made him and the ex-employee aware of anti-bribery laws. Our defamation lawyers took swift action to facilitate the removal of the defamatory blog and to quickly stop the reputational damage it was causing our client. .
Removed defamatory blog 22 June 2016

Jurisdiction: France
Pages removed from: Wordpress Blog

Date of removal: 22 June 2016

Number of web pages removed: 1

Additional information: This website removal concerned a leading offshore investment company, which had fallen victim to a popular defamatory blog which was operated from France. The blogger was dissatisfied with his financial investment and conditioned the removal of his highly defamatory and highly visible blog from the internet upon full refund of his investment. Our defamation lawyers advised that the blogger's demand constituted blackmail. Companies that are asked to pay money in return for removal of defamatory posts from the internet should be very careful not to fall foul of anti-bribery laws. Our defamation solicitors successfully commenced legal proceedings for the removal of the defamatory blog posts. Our client had almost immediately reported increase in sales.
Removed defamation Tapa.co.uk 4 July 2016

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: Tapa.co.uk

Date of removal: 4 July 2016

Number of web pages removed: 1

Additional information: Tapa.co.uk is a website dedicated to exposing alleged advertising "scams" in the UK. Our defamation lawyers were instructed that the website includes a list of companies that it says are involved in misleading advertising practices. Our client was operating an advertising agency. Details of the agency were included in Tapa.co.uk. The website claimed it received "complaints" about our client's practices. The inclusion of our client on this website had damaged its reputation. The mere inclusion of a company on so called scam websites has negative connotations and is almost automatically considered defamatory. Our defamation lawyers successfully facilitated the removal of information about our client from this website..
Removed defamation from Nuisancecalls.org.uk 7 April 2016

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: nuisancecalls.org.uk

Date of removal: 7 April 2016

Number of web pages removed: 20+

Additional information: Our defamation and harassment solicitors successfully liaised with the website operators to secure the removal of numerous posts which were targetting our client and tarnishing their good reputation. These harassing posts were having a harsh financial effect on business and our client was hugely relieved to have the posts removed.
Removed from Google (ICO right to be forgotten application) 23 March 2016

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Pages removed from: Google searches (Daily Mirror)

Date of removal: 23 March 2016

Number of web pages removed:1

Additional information: Our right to be forgotten lawyers made an application to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under a right to be forgotten with a request that the ICO orders Google to remove search results featuring the Daily Record news article as the article had made extensive references to our client. The ICO considered that our clients’ ability to obtain employment, which was made difficult by the news article outweighed the public interest in the information remaining available via search results. The ICO therefore considered that the information featuring was no longer relevant and it ordered Google remove the result within 28 days.
Remove defamation from Money Saving Expert 15 April 2014

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom.

Pages removed from: Money Saving Expert.

Date of removal: 24 March 2014.

Number of web pages removed: 50+.

Additional information: 2 offending threads of reviews against a hotel were deleted. Our defamation solicitors facilitated the removal of 2 defamatory threads which contained dozens of defamatory comments against our client, who is the owner of a chain of hotels in the UK. The reviews agains the hotel were posted by a group guests who first demanded discounts to their hotel bills with no justification for their demand.
Remove reviews from Google reviews 02 October 2015

Jurisdiction: United States,
Pages removed from: Google reviews

Date of removal: 2 October 2015.

Number of pages removed: 2 reviews.

Additional information: Our defamation solicitors removed a 2 highly defamatory reviews from Google reviews (Google Plus) by communicating with Google. No legal action was required. The reviews were removed on behalf of a national estate agent company.
Remove defamation from Weebly 04 May 2015

Jurisdiction: United State,
Pages removed from: Weebly

Date of removal: 04 May 2015.

Number of pages removed: 2 websites.

Additional information: Our defamation solicitors removed 2 defamatory and harassing websites that targeted our client, a former senior United Nation employee. Our lawyers obtained an injunction against the creator of the websites and had the injunction served on Weebly. It is important, whenever a defamatory website operates from outside the UK, to assess whether an injunction should be obtained from the UK or from the home court where the website sits. Often operators of websites that operate from the USA will refuse to recognise the jurisdiction of the English High Court so the process will need to commence in the USA. On this occasion the injunction was obtained in the London High Court but we recommend that you obtain legal advise before starting legal proceedings for defamation against Weebly.
Remove defamation and private information from Blogger 21 May 2015

Jurisdiction: United State, California.
Pages removed from: Blogger.

Date of removal: 21 May 2015.

Number of web pages removed: 2.

Additional information: Our defamation solicitors removed reviews from Blogger as well as remove unlawfully obtained image of our client. The allegations on Blogger were highly defamatory suggesting our client was involved in deception and identity theft. Our client suffered financial loss as a direct result of the publication. The defamatory Blog was deleted from the internet.
Removed defamation from EstateAgentToday 29 May 2015

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom.
Defamation removed from: EstateAgentToday.
Date of removal: 29 May 2015.

Number of web pages removed: 25.

Additional information: We removed defamatory posts from this UK based website, EstateAgentToday on behalf of a high street law firm. A number of lawyers were defamed on EstateAgentToday by posts and comments in relation to property transactions and the quality of the work and services they allegedly delivered.

Statements concerning investigations by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority of the law firm were also deleted from this website to the relief of the law firm.