When a business is mentioned in the news, it is usually a good thing. However, there are times when a news article from a local or major source paints your establishment in a bad light. When this happens online, it can amount to internet defamation.
The attorneys at the Katz Law Group can help you protect your brand and your business by getting that online content removed.
News Coverage Can Be Negative
Most of the time, businesses benefit from having a news crew coming to the store and covering a story. The publicity helps spread the word about the store and that can attract new customers.
However, there are also times when the news coverage paints the store in a bad light. For example, an online news story can:
- Cover crime in the store or in the immediate area, which can deter patrons
- Poorly review the products or services in the store
- Focus on an employee who no longer works for the company, without providing this key piece of context
- Be about something else that is negative, but include a picture of the store or the company that insinuates a connection
- Disparage a store that you have purchased or taken over, and years have passed since the article was published online
Precisely because mainstream news outlets are often seen as credible sources of information, the blow that this can have on your business' reputation can be significant.
It Is Possible to Remove Content from News Sources
Fortunately, it is possible to get news outlets to remove the particular bits of information from their online news stories that are damaging your business' reputation. In many cases, the details that put your business in a bad light are oversights or errors. In some cases, though, they are deliberate attempts at undermining your business.
From Cease and Desist Letters to Litigation
When your business is the subject of negative publicity and libel in a news article, an internet defamation lawyer like those at the Katz Law Group can take action on your behalf and get the slanderous content removed.
Typically, a cease and desist letter is enough to convince the news outlet to remove the defamatory content. This is especially the case when the news agency sees that the defamatory details are not integral to their article and pointlessly disparage your business.
If the news outlet refuses, though, filing a defamation lawsuit is often the next step. These lawsuits claim that the publication was:
- A false statement that purports to be fact,
- At least negligently published, and
- Caused your business damage or financial harm.
The decision to file a lawsuit is a serious one, though. If the statement is found to be true, the defamation case will fail. Worse, the lawsuit will have made the truth of the statement a public record, which can lead to more negative publicity.
These concerns are especially strong when the publisher is a mainstream news outlet. The press is given lots of legal protections that other organizations do not receive.
Massachusetts Internet Defamation Lawyers at the Katz Law Group
The negative impacts of defamatory content in news articles can seriously hurt your business. Getting that content removed as quickly as possible is essential. The internet defamation lawyers at the Katz Law Group can help. Contact them online or call their law office at (508) 480-8202.