How To Respond To Online Defamation

These days, everyone is online. And because of that, what people say about each other is becoming more important. You might be able to let go of a comment against you in the street, but what about if it sticks around on the internet forever for everyone to see? That’s a different ball game. 

Fortunately, this post will help if you’re dealing with this issue. It discusses how to respond to online defamation in several practical steps. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

Check if It’s Defamation

The first step is to check if it is defamation with devoted legal advocates for crime victims. Attorneys and legal professionals can tell you pretty quickly whether they think someone has broken the law and you have a case. 

Truthful statements are, unfortunately, not a form of defamation. Opinions are also not defamation, so the law can be quite tricky in this area. 

Contact The Poster

The next step is to contact the person posting the defamatory content and ask them to remove this. Usually, a legal letter will do the trick and prevent them from doing something similar again. However, some people will stand by their principles and allow defamatory content to remain on their sites. 

Report To The Online Platform

If this happens, the next step is to report it to the platform, like Facebook. Usually, these services have systems in place to remove illegal speech and prevent it from returning in the future. 

You can often file a report through these platforms’ complaints and reporting tools. All you need to do is provide the evidence and explain to them why you think the content is defamatory. Again, they’ll take a look at it and decide what to do next. Usually, this process is quite hands-off. However, platforms won’t always make the decision in the direction you want, which is why it is always so critical to work with lawyers and legal professionals on this. 

Consult With Online Defamation Experts

When things don’t go your way, it is helpful to speak with professionals to look through your options, especially if you are a public figure or have a position of authority that is being undermined. 

Sometimes, people will post defamatory content about you that is untrue. When this is the case, they are breaking the law, especially if the intent is to sully your name.

Respond Publicly

Sometimes, it can be helpful to respond publicly, although this brings risks and challenges. Ideally, you want your post to ensure that there is no doubt that the person engaging in defamation is in the wrong and that you are in the right. Sometimes, you can do this by positing evidence publicly, but always check the facts. 

Use Monitoring Software

Finally, it may be worth investing in monitoring software to see what people are saying about you online. Google and other services offer these features, allowing you to get any mentions of your name or social media profiles on the internet sent to your personal email address.