How to Remove Defamatory Reviews From ComplaintsBoard.com
One of the more prominent consumer complaint websites out there is ComplaintsBoard.com.
It might not have quite the brand name or search engine strength of Ripoff Report or even Pissed Consumer. Nonetheless, ComplaintsBoard.com is another popular destination for publishing complaints about businesses.
Self-branded as “The most trusted and popular consumer complaints website,” ComplaintsBoard.com is nonetheless similarly a destination for some bad actors to attack the reputations of businesses and professionals through defamatory postings.
Of course, the website’s Terms of Use prohibits defamation and similar bad acts; specifically, according to the Member Conduct section, users agree to both not defame others and publish defamatory material.
But this language has not deterred many people, including those who publish anonymous defamatory posts, thinking their identities cannot be uncovered.
Fortunately, ComplaintsBoard.com, operated by Mediolex Ltd. (which appears to be based out of Latvia) does entertain removal requests. However, as with most complaint websites, a complaining party must have obtained a valid court order.
Specifically, the website’s Terms of Use states: “ComplaintsBoard.com does not knowingly allow incorrect or factually incorrect information to remain posted. If ComplaintsBoard.com is instructed to remove and delete a posted message by a court, then the message will be removed and deleted” (emphasis added).
ComplaintsBoard.com previously was responsive to court orders through email. In the last year, however, the website has transitioned to an online support center, where affected parties (or their representatives) must create accounts and submit inquiries through its online portal.
Similarly, an author of a defamatory ComplaintsBoard.com review who wishes to delete his or her complaint from the website is also expected to create a new “ticket” and submit an inquiry through the support center.
In our experience, using the online support center might require some persistence, as the support team does not immediately read (and reply to) the online inquiries; also of note is that ComplaintsBoard.com might ask for payment when a defamed or otherwise harmed party (or representative) requests the removal of a higher volume of complaints, rather than one or two.
We have seen both original postings on ComplaintsBoard.com, as well as those identical to complaints on other websites (in fact, Ripoff Report alleged that the website engaged in copyright infringement). Whether those are reposted verbatim by someone affiliated with ComplaintsBoard.com or just published identically by the author of the statements (intending to amplify the harm) is unclear.
What is clear, however, is that ComplaintsBoard.com does not tolerate defamation and certain other categories of harmful types of complaints, and the website is generally willing to entertain legitimate removal requests accompanied by valid court orders.
For more information, contact Colleen Devanney at 855.542.9192 or cmdevanney@vorys.com. Read more about the practice at http://www.defamationremovalattorneys.com/.
