Removal of Defamatory Content On The Internet
Defamation & Cyber Harassment
In our digital age, a modern form of harassment has appeared: internet harassment, also known as online harassment or cyber bullying. Although people are often targets of this form of illegal activity, businesses can also be victimized. In one single click, defamatory content can be spread to millions of people in milliseconds, tarnishing a company’s reputation forever.
Cyber Bullying Takes Many Forms
Cyber harassment uses the Internet or digital media to threaten, exploit, influence, bully, scare, ridicule, humiliate, or discredit an individual or company. In certain cases, cyber harassment may be followed by offline or real violence. So often, online defamation, which is a false assertion that harms a company’s credibility or a person, happens by online harassment.
Damaging Your Business by Demonising You Online
Although the demonising of business over the web sounds impersonal, it’s anything but that. Years of effort and a strong reputation can be smeared or damaged overnight. However, now, there are several options that victims can deal with their offenders in the legal system, in a civil manner or legitimately. Unfortunately, most of them are expensive and intrusive, and paired with a lack of understanding and precedent; they do not necessarily give justice to the individuals seeking.
The law is notoriously sluggish to respond to technologies, but legal experts say that the law can be used as a weapon to deter this trend if it is done correctly.
Here is a checklist for victims of Cyber Harassment or Online Defamation:
1. Ascertain the identity of the offender:
Many of the criminals do not disclose their real identities when they indulge in crime on the web. It is, therefore, essential to determine the identity of the offender before taking the necessary actions.
a. Interacting a person to collect more details about him or her. This knowledge can inevitably lead to an accurate assumption as to the identity of the individual. For example: if this person is an ex-employee / coworker, a rival, or a group with a vested interest in harming one’s image.
b. If the offender has made defamatory comments via web forums or an e-mail address, it could be possible to collect the required information from the appropriate service providers regarding identifying the suspect. Usually, service providers such as Google, Facebook, or Singtel can only share sensitive information about the offender only after a court order has been released.
2. File a complaint to the police
This should be performed even though there is no possibility that criminal charges will be conducted. The police have even more extraordinary powers, and, with some arrangements on mutual legal aid, they will be able to locate offenders and respond more efficiently. The present law, in particular, the ‘Harassment Prevention Act,’ protects persons and companies from cyber defamation, bullying, or offensive conduct on the Internet and related anti-social behaviour. Any individual alleged to have broken this Act may incur both civil and criminal penalties.
3. Interact with an online reputation company
Online reputation companies have their search engine optimization software at their disposal that can help track and delete defamatory comments and misleading posts from search engine-generated sites. They will assist if there is a real possibility that online comments have been posted across multiple social media channels or not.
4. Record and log the correct information
As far as possible, all contact occasions (by any means) or online posts when found should be registered or saved. The most straightforward approach is to apply screenshots. It may be an accumulated course of behavior on the offender’s part, which inevitably rationalizes the encroachment of civil or criminal penalties. Further, it is challenging (or perhaps impossible) to obtain historical material from social media sites. For example, Instagram stories disappear after 24hrs and comments on Twitter and Facebook can be modified at any moment in time.
5. Maintaining essential proof
It could be necessary to avoid deleting social media profiles or removing web posts before contacting the police or a legal lawyer to prevent the loss of defamatory information. This can be a tough decision to make in some cases, as threats or the publishing of defamatory comments may only continue if the victim’s social media account keeps working or if there are updates accessible on the web.
6. Consider the potential consequences of beginning court proceedings
It is necessary to properly assess the possible dangers of proceeding to legal action in response to defamation or cyberbullying / harassment allegations. Be prepared and consult with your lawyer and discuss all possibilities to be safe from any significant harm.
Conclusion
There is no denying that social media’s rise has transformed the way we interact with each other. It is crucial, however, that businesses and individuals understand the myriad of ever-present challenges that surround the use of social networks and keep in mind the need to correctly resolve these complexities in order to deter, avoid and discourage people from using online channels from engaging in online defamation or cyber-harassment or bullying.
