A contractor sued his former client for defamation after she left him a negative review on Yelp.
/ Source: SPazzø (Flickr)
If you've ever had a less than thrilling experience at a restaurant or retailer, chances are you went online to express your frustration in a review. But you might want to think twice before you type now that a Virginia woman has been slapped with a $750,000 lawsuit for leaving a negative review on Yelp.
According to the Washington Post, Jane Perez is being sued for defamation by a D.C. contractor who claims to have lost $300,000 in business since she left her review. Perez gave Dietz Development an "F" across the board and accused the contractor of damaging her home and stealing jewelry .
Since Dietz has not been charged for the missing jewlery, a judge has ordered Perez to change parts of her reviews on Yelp and Angie's List and barred her from repeating any of the comments in new posts, according to the Washington Post. There is yet to be a trial for the defamation claims.
Read more: Judge says homeowner must delete some accusations on Yelp, Angie’s List
Do you think lawsuits about online reviews stifle freedom of speech, or is a business owner's right to protect their reputation more important in this scenario? Weigh in below and on our WNWO Facebook page.
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