Internet Defamation: When To Take Legal Action vs. When To Let It Be

I was recently asked an important question by a reader. With some tweaks made to hide the reader’s identity and particular situation, here’s what I was posed:

When someone or an organization is defamed online and it goes public, and after they’ve released a statement putting light to their side of the story, should they continue to pursue the defamer by taking him or her to court; or should they just let the situation be and move on with their life, focusing on positive branding?

This is a great question and one that many struggle with. Of course, every case is different, but here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you identify the best choice of action for your particular situation:

• Is your reputation continuing to suffer from the defamation, or has your official statement put the situation to bed?
• Is it truly defamation (because you can’t sue against freedom of speech)?
• Will pursuing legal action potentially cause more harm then it will cause good for your reputation over the long-term?
• How well does this situation currently rank within the search engines and can you suppress it further down, without causing more awareness to it?

Sometimes attackers are relentless and hellbent on destroying your reputation and good name. Other times, it’s best to stand up for yourself and move on in a positive direction, as continuing to pursue the attacker can cause more harm to your reputation than good. As I said, every situation is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to these sorts of attacks.

More answers to your Internet defamation questions

If you’re faced with a situation where legal pursuit may be the best course of action, we recommend you read the following articles by Whitney C. Gibson, a fabulous Internet defamation attorney with Vorys law firm:

• Internet Defamation: How Executives Can Handle Disparaging Online Content
• False Online Reviews: How to Deal with Damaging Internet Posts about your Business
• Your Legal Options When Dealing with Negativity on Ripoff Report (Video)
• Fake Reviews: How to Protect Your Brand (Video)
• Internet Defamation: What Are Your Options? (video)

Melissa Agnes

Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted keynote speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today’s leading organizations faced with the greatest risks. Learn more about Melissa and her work here.