For small business owners, reviews are powerful. A positive review can draw in new customers, while a negative one can drive them away. But what happens when a Google review is false, defamatory, or simply unfair? Can you get it removed, and if so, what are your rights? Here’s what you need to know about the legal side of deleting Google reviews.
The Importance of Understanding Your Rights
Before diving in, it’s important to understand why knowing your rights matters. Not every bad review is removable. Reviews must meet certain criteria to be eligible for removal. If you don’t know the rules, you might waste time trying to remove a review that doesn’t qualify.
A study by BrightLocal found that 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. This means your business’s reputation can be heavily influenced by what people find on Google. Knowing what you can and cannot do legally can help you protect that reputation.
What Google Allows and Doesn’t Allow
Ratings That Can Be Removed
Google has strict guidelines about what is and isn’t allowed in reviews. Reviews that violate these policies can be removed. Here are some examples:
- Fake reviews: Reviews written by people who haven’t used your service or visited your business.
- Conflicts of interest: Reviews from competitors or people connected to your business.
- Offensive content: Reviews with inappropriate language or hate speech.
- Defamatory content: False statements that harm your business’s reputation.
If a review falls into any of these categories, you have the right to request its removal.
Ratings That Stay
Even if a review feels unfair, it may not violate Google’s policies. Negative reviews that are honest opinions, even if harsh, will likely stay. For example, if someone writes, “The service was slow, and the staff was rude,” this review won’t be removed unless you can prove it’s false or fits into one of the removal categories.
The Legal Side of Removing Defamatory Ratings
Defamation Defined
Defamation involves false statements that damage a person or business’s reputation. To qualify as defamation, the review must be:
- False: If a statement is true, it cannot be considered defamatory.
- Harmful: It must cause actual damage to your reputation or business.
- Published: The statement must be made public, such as in an online review.
Real Example: The Case of PissedConsumer
A small business owner in Texas faced a series of defamatory reviews on PissedConsumer.com. The reviews were proven to be fake and written by someone with a grudge. The business owner took legal action, and after providing evidence, the website agreed to take down the harmful content.
This example shows that sometimes legal pressure is necessary to protect your business.
Can You Sue for Defamation?
Yes, you can sue someone for posting defamatory reviews. However, this process can be long and expensive. Most business owners find that filing a lawsuit should be a last resort. The costs and time involved can be overwhelming. Instead, many opt for reputation management services like erase.com to navigate these tricky waters.
How to Request Removal on Google
Step 1: Rating Google’s Policies
Before submitting a request, make sure the review clearly violates Google’s guidelines. You can find these guidelines on Google’s support page. It’s essential to be thorough because vague or unsupported claims won’t get results.
Step 2: Report the Rating
To report a review, go to your Google My Business profile and locate the review in question. Click on the three dots next to the review and select “Flag as inappropriate.” Follow the instructions and provide any necessary evidence.
Step 3: Wait for a Response
Google’s review process can take days or even weeks. If your request is denied, but you believe the review still violates their guidelines, you can reach out to Google Support directly or resubmit with more evidence.
When You Need Legal Help
If a review is defamatory and Google doesn’t remove it, you may need legal help. Hiring a lawyer with experience in online defamation can guide you through the process of sending cease-and-desist letters or taking legal action.
Cease-and-Desist Letters
A cease-and-desist letter is often the first step. This is a formal request asking the reviewer to stop posting defamatory content and remove existing posts. Many times, this alone can lead to the review’s removal.
Taking It Further
If the reviewer ignores the cease-and-desist, you may need to take them to court. Keep in mind that you will need evidence to prove that the review is false, harmful, and published with the intent to damage your reputation.
What About Fake Ratings from Competitors?
It’s not uncommon for competitors to post fake negative reviews to harm your business. Google’s policy states that reviews with a conflict of interest violate their guidelines. If you suspect a review comes from a competitor, gather evidence, such as review patterns or similarities in language.
Success Story: The Case of the Local Gym
A local gym in Florida noticed several one-star reviews appearing within days of each other. After investigating, they realized the reviews were tied to accounts connected to a rival gym.
The gym owner reported the reviews with evidence and contacted a reputation management service for guidance. Within a month, Google removed the suspicious reviews, restoring the gym’s rating and credibility.
Preventing Future Issues
Stay Vigilant
Regularly check reviews and comments about your business. Setting up alerts can help you stay informed and act quickly if a problem arises.
Encourage Positive Ratings
One of the best defenses against negative reviews is a strong presence of positive ones. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. The more genuine positive reviews you have, the less impact a negative or fake one will have.
Partner with Experts
Sometimes, handling everything yourself can be too much. Reputation management services like erase.com offer the expertise to manage and clean up harmful content. They can save you time and help protect your business’s reputation.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with harmful reviews isn’t fun, but knowing your rights can make the process easier. Whether it’s reporting a fake review, sending a cease-and-desist, or reaching out to a reputation management service, you have options. Stay proactive, keep track of your online presence, and don’t hesitate to act when needed. Your business’s reputation is too valuable to leave to chance.
