Defamation And Your Small Business: What You Need To Know
Running your own business is a great way to take your career and your livelihood into your own hands. Whether you’re running your business as a side hustle or it’s your full-time occupation, it allows you to make money doing what you love, and are passionate about. What could be more fulfilling than that? After taking the time to know your audience through meticulous market research, looking closely at what your competitors are doing and adding your own creative flair, you’ve established a brand that resonates with your audience and has earned you a number of loyal customers.
You and your business are one. You are inextricable. It’s a reflection of your personality, your passions and your skills. So when somebody makes a defamatory claim against you or your business, it can be a huge blow to your personal and professional pride. But, as with most things, there’s a right way to deal with it.
What is a defamatory claim?
Just so we’re all on the same page, a defamatory claim is when somebody accuses your business of deliberate wrongdoing. This can be when someone says something about you or your business in person on your physical premises (slander) or when they wrote something about you in print or online (libel). This can include comments made on social media. It’s important to note that in order to be defamatory, the claim needs to be that you have done something that you can prove you have not done. Therefore, a customer complaint on social media (even one that’s unfair) isn’t necessarily defamation.
Be proactive
When someone says something horrible about you in person or online, your natural instinct may be to bury your head in the sand and ignore it. But the longer you leave matters like this unattended, the worse they can be for your reputation. It’s important to be proactive, especially when it comes to accusations that have been made in public spaces like social media. The longer such claims remain online they will be associated with you and (fairly or unfairly) may influence other people’s perception of your brand. Acknowledge the claim immediately, and outline the course of action that will be taken such as further investigation and liaising with legal support. Which brings us to…
Seek legal help
You will undoubtedly need legal help if someone has made a defamatory claim. If you have been accused of a crime, don’t wait for the police to show up at your doorstep. Get in touch with a lawyer who specialises in Criminal Law. They will be able to assist you in proving that you are innocent of wrongdoing and, where necessary, how to cooperate with the authorities. On the other hand, a lawyer who specialises in defamation can help you to take action against the offending party and protect your image. Get advice from a reputable attorney such as those Dhillon Law who specialise in exactly this kind of situation.
Finally, address the claim publicly
Ignore defamation and people may assume (again, fairly or unfairly) that there’s weight to the claims made against you. Take the time to address the claim in a public forum like your website or pinned to your social media feed. Explain that the claims are false and that you take them seriously, and that you will be acting upon the matter upon the advice of your legal counsel. Your lawyer will be able to advise you on the wording of this statement.
*This is a collaborative post.
