If you have been a victim of Internet defamation, you may be wondering if compensation is available and how you should seek it. Unfortunately, defamation is an all-too-common occurrence on the Internet and can seriously damage your reputation or business. However, fortunately, there are steps you can take to seek compensation for defamation, so how should you proceed if you've been affected?
File A Civil Lawsuit
The first option available to those who have been defamed is to file a civil lawsuit against the person or persons responsible for spreading false information about them. In order to win a civil suit for defamation, the plaintiff must prove that false statements were made with malicious intent and that those statements caused harm. If the defendant is found guilty of libel or slander, they may be liable for monetary damages as well as other compensatory and punitive measures.
File A Complaint With The Relevant Authorities
Another option is to file a complaint with relevant authorities, such as local police departments or regulatory bodies. Depending on the severity of the case, law enforcement agencies may investigate and take action against those responsible for making false statements online. Additionally, if the defaming information was related to commerce or advertising, then it could be investigated by the relevant government department, with authority over deceptive trade practices.
Use Reputation Management Services
In addition to legal remedies, some services specialise in reputation management. They may be able to help mitigate some of the damage done by promoting positive content about you or your business online. This could offset any negative publicity that may exist about you on the web. These services use search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques in order to push down negative content about you in search results so that it appears further down in results pages when someone searches your name or business name online.
What's Your Best Course Of Action?
If you have been affected, this type of action can be upsetting and it's not easy to know what to do next. However, the most effective way to deal with the other party and to discourage them from doing anything similar in the future is to pursue a case through the courts. You are advised to talk with a compensation lawyer to do this. They will look at the specifics of your case and advise you on how to proceed for the best effect.