Club Defamation via Google Reviews

Lannon123 on 09/01/2024 - 13:43
Last edited 09/01/2024 - 13:44

Hi Ozb Community,

In short, I oversee a club and have encountered a mix of positive and negative comments, some containing false information about names and non-existent sexual activities. I've diligently collected evidence of these defamatory accounts and reported them. However, the attackers have become more sophisticated, posting positive reviews to avoid detection. The situation has reached a point where it is adversely affecting the personal lives of our staff members.

Examples of their reviews
- "***** absolutely packing!!! And i’m not talking about ******."
- Excellent service ! ******* did an exceptional job at massaging my feet. I’m also 11 years old
- Coach definitely likes little kids
- Coach is amazing at teaching my kids how to properly blow…"

I've already reported these reviews countless times, but it takes googles over a week to review them.

What are my options and what can I legally do at this point in time?

Thanks in advance

Education & Work

Comments

  • CyberMurning on 09/01/2024 - 13:47
    +21

    Coach is amazing at teaching my kids how to properly blow…".
    massaging my feet. I’m also 11 years old
    i think no one will believe those kind of allegation so report and let google delete it.
    if continues.. hmm seems you have an enemy… scary man… get bikies

    • Zondor on 10/01/2024 - 18:15

      You have to twist arms quite hard to get google reviews removed.

    • Blitzfx on 11/01/2024 - 01:13
      +1

      People believe in a lot of bullshit, so I would take these seriously.
      Additionally, there's a possibility of a crazy person who might feel compelled to cause physical violence on the innocent coach.

      • frewer on 11/01/2024 - 17:40

        I believed in that -judge-order-to-release-Epstein-clients-list is it nut ?

  • Almost Banned on 09/01/2024 - 14:18
    +6

    If the publications are about individuals, small business, or NFP, then you may well have a claim in defamation.
    Do you know who is making the comments?

  • Ocker on 09/01/2024 - 14:23
    +17

    Your first option was to join OZB and seek free advice.
    Next option is to seek proper legal advice.

  • JIMB0 on 09/01/2024 - 14:38
    +4

    What caused them to do this?

    • annon123 on 09/01/2024 - 15:49
      +2

      We are doing really well with our programs in the LGA. Whilst other clubs aren't doing so well.

      • djones145 on 10/01/2024 - 08:12
        +1

        guess we have a wiener on who is writing this…

  • Gdsamp on 09/01/2024 - 14:42
    -3

    ermm

  • Some Human on 09/01/2024 - 14:43
    +15

    Those comments sound like a 10 year old wrote them.

  • hasher22 on 09/01/2024 - 15:14
    +2

    First step is to contact google to remove them

    Second step if google doesn't remove them, then there are third party companies that can for a fee. You can google them

    Regarding defamation, it requires alot of money and time but do you even know who is posting it? You need to track them down and this isn't easy.

    • annon123 on 09/01/2024 - 15:49

      no idea who are posting them.

      they are all fresh accounts with no reviews, only the one on us until removed. their names are all sexual inuendos so not sure.

      • mskeggs on 09/01/2024 - 16:31
        +18

        This sort of thing is more like digital graffiti than defamation.
        Say you identified some teenager who posted this and sued them. A very reasonable defence would be to say your club coach was not defamed because nobody would believe a post about foot massages from "B G Hors Cox" is going to cause anybody to believe the accusation.

        I'd ask Google to remove the reviews, and they will in time.
        Then I would completely ignore it. The kids doing it will get bored.

        I note you have been very circumspect in describing the issue, and who you think might be doing it. If you are doing stuff that is making enemies (competing very arrogantly, or whatever), maybe consider how you can avoid getting people off side like this.

    • Brianqpr on 11/01/2024 - 11:11

      Didn't know you could pay for reviews to be removed. Does that include genuine negative feedback? If so, the reviews system is probably pointless.

      • hasher22 on 11/01/2024 - 12:57

        You can if google rejects it and it's a genuine negative review.

        I had a 1 star rating no text of a new account created and they 1 starred 7 businesses within 1 hour of each other and I screenshotted it, raised it to google for spam and they rejected it after my 7th time giving them the screenshot of spam. Their excuse was 1 star with no text are genuine even it's obviously fake.

        I sought a third party company after days of research hopefully it's not a scam, they removed it for $250 per review. And it was removed within 5 days.

  • prodrome on 09/01/2024 - 16:25
    +14

    how do I join Club Defamation

    • Brianqpr on 11/01/2024 - 17:45
      +1

      drinks are freeeeee

  • Drakesy on 09/01/2024 - 16:42
    +21

    If someone gave me a 5 star review and said i had a big C*#K i'd be flattered.

    • freefall101 on 09/01/2024 - 18:20
      +28

      I like this post. Drakesy makes a good point and has a big c@¢k to go with it.

      ★★★★★

      • Loopholio on 10/01/2024 - 09:27

        Nobody wants to see your big cack @freefall101. Eww.

    • Cave Fire on 09/01/2024 - 20:34
      +1

      OP doesn't know what they've started….

  • AustriaBargain on 09/01/2024 - 16:43
    +2

    Accusations of child rape, should probably get a lawyer for the coach?

    • LFO on 10/01/2024 - 10:43
      -1

      Only if said coach is a heterosexual male.

      • grammarstickler on 10/01/2024 - 15:50
        -2

        Keep on those red pills, mate, gee whiz.

        • LFO on 13/01/2024 - 12:35

          You should know.
          Thanks anyway.

  • franco cozzo on 09/01/2024 - 17:20
    -3

    this is a shopping site

    • andresampras on 09/01/2024 - 17:27
      +15

      free legal advice = bargain

    • coffeeinmyveins on 09/01/2024 - 19:45
      +2

      Actually it's a bargain site, you don't do any shopping here unless you mean the classifieds.

      In any case, this is the forum section of OZB, but you already knew that based on your almost 9000 comments.

      • franco cozzo on 09/01/2024 - 19:49
        -2

        lol. too much caffeine today…?

  • 7ekn00 on 09/01/2024 - 17:33
    +4

    It aint random, I would internally investigate to be sure there is nothing behind the accusations :/

    An adequate defence to defamation is the truth …

  • coffeeinmyveins on 09/01/2024 - 19:44
    +1

    You've said you have no idea who they are. You can't just "find out" who is posting these reviews unless they have identifiable information in them, and even then you can't just sue for defamation. People seem to think you can just go around suing everyone for defamation because they said something about them. You have to prove damages, to start with.

    My advice is to get Google to remove the reviews, which should be easy and I'd be shocked if you haven't done this already.

    Second step is to understand why this is happening. This isn't random, you're being targeted for SOME reason by someone, so think about why or what your staff are doing to cause this?

    • Flyingpotato on 10/01/2024 - 10:31
      +4

      I mean, you can find out. You apply to the Federal Court for an order that Google reveal their IP address and any account info and then an order that the associated telco give you the name of the account holder. Happens all the time.

      Yes, you need damages to win a defamation suit but even a strongly worded lawyers letter is likely to get them to stop if theres no substance to the allegations…

      Agreed that they need to understand why it is happening. Allegations of this nature should never be ignored!

  • Cave Fire on 09/01/2024 - 20:37
    +1

    Sounds like someone with a gripe, maybe ask the coach if anyone has said or noticed anything weird. I guess the only thing you can do is get people to place five star reviews until it's covered up.

    • MITM on 09/01/2024 - 22:22
      +3

      A cover up, Nice choice of words. Anyway, I hope there's a happy ending.

    • TiredKitty78 on 19/01/2024 - 21:04

      Gotta wonder if in coming here instead of straight to the lawyers means there's a reason why they don't want to get on anyone's radar like that….
      Also that they are using 'distancing' language and referring to the club being harassed/defamed but really, it's the coach posting and they are the staff member suffering….

  • pegaxs on 09/01/2024 - 23:25

    Defamation is a pretty high bar to jump over. You basically have to prove that there was some damage done to someone or their reputation.

    For example, if the coach lost his job because of these rumours, or the coach suffered some kind of monetary loss with people taking their kids out of the club because of the rumours and their wage was tied to how many kids they coached, the coach may have a good case…

    the club itself is a bit harder to open a defamation case, as the club needs to be small enough for a start, and you would need to prove that these remarks some how affected the club to the extent that you need to sue to cover the damages caused by some dead shit posting garbage on a Google Review page.

    Your best bet is to chase it up with Google and keep getting them removed, do some detective work and see if you can nut out who has a gripe with the club (any mum or dad you had to remove from a game/club event just before this started?) and then follow up with police to lodge some kind of digital harassment/using a carrier to menace charge if they are able.

    • Dyl on 11/01/2024 - 03:11

      Defamation has punitive damages though doesn't it? Showing even $1 in losses is enough to sue for punitive damages then?

      • pegaxs on 12/01/2024 - 09:31

        This isnt 'Murica, courts in Australia seldom award "punitive" damages in civil cases, and probably moreso unlikely in defamation cases.

        So no, you couldn't show a loss of $1, but then sue for $4.8 million for "punitive damages"

        • Dyl on 12/01/2024 - 13:38

          ok bikies then

  • randomusername2017 on 10/01/2024 - 07:33
    +2

    Protractoroz has found an interim outlet

  • ozboygsl on 10/01/2024 - 09:53

    Hi. You have my sympathies. Regrettably, there is very little you can do. Some reviews allow you the opportunity to respond. You may want to take that route. But on a good note, if I read the examples you posted, I would automatically assume it was someone with an axe to grind and ignore it.

  • Flyingpotato on 10/01/2024 - 10:13
    +2

    You should consult a lawyer. Someone is accusing one of your coaches of child sexual offences. It may be that there is nothing to it but as an organisation that clearly works with children this is not something you want to ignore.

    A good lawyer should be able to give you advice about an external investigation and/or applying to the Federal Court for an order that Google give you the ip address(es) associated with the reviews.

  • 2esc on 10/01/2024 - 12:20
    +1

    The club most likely has done nothing wrong. Some people get their noses out of sorts over nothing.

    "A car turning into the club parking lot made me slow down once"

    I WILL DESTROY THEM!

    The number of entitled people out there is unbelievable.

    Sadly until they tire of this behaviour finding out who it was may never happen.

  • Drpepper666 on 10/01/2024 - 16:42

    Maybe someone lost too much on the pokies

  • coolroy on 10/01/2024 - 17:50
    -1

    Can you get google to turn off all reviews of your club?

  • jackspratt on 10/01/2024 - 18:43
    +1

    Please tell us the name of the club, so we can confirm what you say - being a very new member and "contributor", and all.

    • jackspratt on 10/01/2024 - 23:20
      +1

      OP seems to have gone into radio silence - 19+ hours, and not a dickie-bird. 😕

      Lack of wifi under the bridge, perhaps.

  • Gnostikos on 10/01/2024 - 19:00
    +4

    This kind of smear campaign goes above and beyond your ordinary targeted review-bombing by bots, competitors or some "activists" that you see on common review sites.

    Accusations of child sexual abuse especially against any organisation that engages in work with children, no matter how unfounded, is both severe and also specifically-crafted for maximum impact (it's not like the generic "lying scumbags stole my money/ripped me off/bad service" reviews that most people can identify as anomalies for an otherwise reputable business).

    From the sounds of things this has been ongoing for some time and the fact that the perpetrators are being incredibly persistent and adapting their behaviour to avoid having reviews removed by Google shows some deliberate, human intelligence behind it, not just automated bots blindly scraping the Internet.

    I'd get in touch with lawyers ASAP. Keep documenting everything as well and I'd also strongly recommend double-checking your IT environment in terms of security and backups of critical data especially.

  • Sheez on 10/01/2024 - 22:51
    +1

    Google is absolutely useless with this sort of thing, and legal action would be difficulty and costly. Your best approach is possibly to not focus on it, reply to any of these reviews with "Please stop making defamatory remarks, your comment has been recorded and passed to our legal team, I high suggest your remove or change it". Remember, anyone that sees reviews also sees the response.

    Aside from that, you can drown it out with other positive reviews of your own. Get family, friends,whoever, to leave positive reviews.

    There really isn't much more you can do unfortunately..

  • Daddy Chill on 11/01/2024 - 07:55

    Could be internal

    • belongsinforums on 11/01/2024 - 09:06
      +1

      What the hell is even that

      • richadam on 11/01/2024 - 09:55
        +2

        Someone who works for the club. Not hard to figure that one out…

      • TiredKitty78 on 19/01/2024 - 21:00

        Could be the coaches current girlfriend.
        You scoff, but it happens. Sometimes some crazy you're dating just….wants to ruin your life so you'll spend more time at home and not with the gym bunny soccer mums.

        • Gnostikos on 23/01/2024 - 17:53

          You scoff, but it happens.

          I don't.

          Sometimes some crazy you're dating just….wants to ruin your life

          Yeah, it's called marriage.

  • cloudy on 11/01/2024 - 10:54

    Sorry to hear what’s happening OP.

    I don’t trust reviews anymore because of how many fakes I know occur.

    I personally know of a 100m business built on fake reviews, they faked mostly good reviews of themselves instead of bad of competitors, this type of faking is much more common as usually no one bothers to report it other than competitors(whom have no way of proving the fakes)

    My moral is consumers should stop looking to be influenced. The fakes are too hard to spot now days.

    • jackspratt on 18/01/2024 - 11:59

      The fakes are too hard to spot now days.

      The OP wasn't. It was pretty obvious from the start.

  • dontboopthesnoot on 11/01/2024 - 17:55

    Daddy chill

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