Defending Against Bogus Online Reviews: A Guide For Bars and Restaurants

Online reviews play an increasingly important role in the modern bar and restaurant scene.  While truthful and appropriate reviews can offer real benefits to businesses, phony or fraudulent reviews can quickly torpedo a thriving enterprise, regardless of their falsity. 

The danger of bogus reviews is obvious: readers of an online review will often have no idea whether or not the reviewer is telling the truth, but they may avoid patronizing the establishment just the same, leading to staggering losses.  This risk is compounded by the fact that many people think of the Internet as a place they can go to unleash obnoxious tirades without consequences. 

But when reviewers cross the line into spreading false and damaging claims, owners of hospitality businesses have a right to defend themselves and their livelihoods, and there are a variety of legal options available to combat the scourge of phony Internet reviews.

The Law of Defamation on the InternetAlthough laws vary from state to…