Lies can quickly hurt your reputation. Lies can spread quickly online, whether you mean to or not, and they can have an effect on your personal and professional life. It can be hard to deal with when someone is lying about you, but there are legal ways to stop it and protect your name.
This article will talk about the legal ways you can stop someone from lying about you online and why it’s important to do something to protect your reputation.
What is defamation on the internet?
It’s important to know what online defamation is before you learn how to stop it. When someone says something false about you that hurts your reputation, that’s defamation. There are two kinds of defamation:
Libel is when you write or publish defamatory statements, like posts, articles, or comments on social media.
Slander: spoken false statements, like those in a video or podcast.
For the defamation to be actionable, the statement must be false, hurt your reputation, and be shared with someone else.
Step 1: Get proof
The first step is to get proof that someone is spreading lies online. This is what you need:
- Screenshots: Take pictures of the false statements, including when, where, and how they were posted.
- Links: Keep track of the web addresses (URLs) where the false information is being spread.
- Witnesses: If you can, ask people who saw the false information to tell you what they saw.
If you need to get the law involved, having all this proof will help.
Step 2: Send a letter to stop defamation
Sending a cease and desist letter is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to stop someone from saying bad things about you. This letter tells the person that you will take more legal action if they don’t stop lying about you. This is how to write a cease and desist letter for defamation:
- Identify the Defamation: Clearly say what the false comments were and why they are false.
- Call for Immediate Action: Ask that the person stop posting defamatory things and take down the ones that are already there.
- Legal Consequences: Tell them that if they keep acting this way, you will take legal action, which could include a lawsuit.
Most people stop and read these letters because they don’t want to get into a legal fight.
Step 3: Think about suing for defamation
You may need to file a defamation lawsuit if the cease and desist letter doesn’t work. This could make the person take down the false information and, in some cases, pay you for the damage their lies caused. To file this lawsuit, you need to show:
- False Statement: The thing that was said about you is not true.
- Harm: The statement hurt you in a way that can be measured, like losing business or hurting your reputation.
- Publication: Someone other than you got the statement.
- Negligence or Malice: The person who made the statement did so with carelessness or malice.
Step 4: Tell the platform about the false information
You can tell the website or social media site, like Facebook, Twitter, or Google, if someone is lying about you online. Most platforms don’t allow harmful or false content. When you report it, you have to show how it goes against their rules. This doesn’t always work, but it’s a good first step before thinking about going to court.
Step 5: Ask for a Retraction
You might be able to ask for a retraction if a news outlet, blog, or other online media site published lies about you. When the outlet takes back or corrects the false statements in public, that’s a retraction.
When you ask for a retraction, you should give proof that the statement is false and bad for your reputation. Some magazines have official rules for retractions, while others may need a letter from a lawyer.
Step 6: Take care of your online reputation
Taking legal action can help stop lies, but it’s also important to keep an eye on your online reputation. When people look for your name, false information can change how they see you. We help you protect your personal and professional image by getting rid of bad content at NewReputation.
We offer the following services:
- Content Removal: Getting rid of false or harmful information from search results.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Making good content to push down bad search results.
- Brand Building: Making content that is authoritative and trustworthy will help you take charge of your online presence.
Step 7: Keep an eye on things.
You need to keep an eye on how often your name comes up after you’ve done something to stop the lies from spreading. Keep an eye on the sites where the false information was posted and see if any new defamatory content shows up. You can use tools like Google Alerts to keep an eye on when people talk about you online.
If the person keeps spreading false information even after you take legal action, talk to your lawyer about other legal options, like getting an injunction or asking for more damages.
Important Points
It can be stressful and hurtful when someone lies about you online, but you don’t have to deal with it alone. Gather proof, send a cease and desist letter, and let the right platforms know about the content. If you need to, get help from a lawyer who knows how to file a defamation lawsuit. Services for managing your online reputation, like NewReputation, can help fix the damage and keep your name safe.
Call NewReputation at 855-750-0583 for a free consultation if you’re having trouble with bad search results and want to get rid of them.
