What is Online Defamation, and How Do You Deal with It?
Online defamation is when someone says something untrue about you, and the lie damages your reputation. There are different ways you can be defamed. Nonetheless, all of them result in the same harm. In the worst cases, the victim of defamation may commit suicide. People are allowed to make their opinions online. However, if the statement goes beyond the boundaries of the right to speech and intends to harm you, they have broken the law. Whether in business, politics or just an individual, defamation can ruin your reputation and close you to many opportunities. This is why dealing with the issue is vital to restore your good name. Here are three things you should do.
Stay Calm
Defamation comes with a lot of emotions. You may feel angry, sad, depressed and so on. Before you get back to the person defaming you with anger, try backing off from the situation for some time until you cool down. Ensure you are calm and no longer bitter about it. This way, you will approach the situation with maturity. A lawsuit can be expensive, and any mistake may put you on the wrong side. So, stay calm and approach the problem when sober.
Get an Online Reputation Manager
The internet does not forget. That means you will need to get the false information off the internet and ensure you do not appear on bad search results. Deleting the information online and restoring your reputation is critical. You might need to do so to get employed, get a school of your choice, and get elected if you are a politician or grow your business. Therefore, you need the help of specialists in online reputation management like DigitalOx Ltd to build new content for you and request sites to take down negative information about you. The reputation manager will ensure no information will hinder you from getting a job, a client or a partner.
Call an Attorney
If the defamation cases serious harm, you may want to sue the perpetrator. Therefore, you will need evidence to back up your case. Gather the names of the witnesses, proof of the posts defaming you and copies of written statements. Then, get a skilled defamation lawyer with enough experience to represent you. Your lawyer will write a letter to the defamer to cease. They must also prove the sources of the information and that the defamer knew what they were doing. Sometimes winning the lawsuit is all you need to verify your innocence and build your credibility online. Therefore, ensure you work with a lawyer to help you win the case and prove that all the accusations were untrue. It will make it easy for people to believe you and other sources to pull down the information. Going to court might be the best way to rectify the situation if the defamer refuses to cease.
Conclusion
Defamation can be threatening and deny you a lot of opportunities. Therefore, it is vital to deal with it in the right way to restore your online image. So, approach the situation calmly, hire an online reputation manager and call your lawyer if you have to go to court.
