Local Mom sued over online review of child care center

[Peppergirl]

Here's the story.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/29011648/detail.html


Basically, she did an online review of a daycare center and the center claims they're false and suing for defamation of character.

The same center has sued other people for online reviews too.

[Sleepwalker]

Methinks the centre doth protest too much.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm thinking that if they have to file that many lawsuits to take down dissenting reviewers, they might have a genuine problem on their hands.

As for the "reply," holy wall-o-text! It doesn't help that a great swathe of that reply is duplicated.

It would be interesting to learn if the woman who was reported as being the one to post the October review actually was an employee of a rival company, or if that was actually the school defaming her? If LinkedIn is the same Erinn Richard (how many women have that spelling in the Cincinnati area?), then she's not even in the child care field at all.

^-.-^

[bainsidhe]

Interesting. While it's a negative review, it's not the typical spam-type comment I'd normally expect from someone posting a fake complaint. They could've claimed the center was unsanitary, or dangerous, or have perverts, etc. No, the woman complained that there was no communication. Isn't the point of online reviews to give voice to one's honest feelings and perceptions?

Sleepwalker, I agree with you 100%.

[lordlundar]

Sounds like they're trying to shape the perception of their center by getting negative reviews axed. One part of the article stuck out to me though.

In an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, Richard said she was not aware she was being sued until the reporter told her about the lawsuit.

That means that while the lawsuit was filed the defendant did not receive notification of it, a VERY big legal no no. So that sounds to me like the center with a not so sterling reputation is using shady legal practices and unethical legal teams to force people to shut up about anything bad said about them. All the defendant has to do is declare that she never received notice of the lawsuit. Seeing that legal deliveries need to be signed for or have an independent third party confirm the defendant received the notice, the case could be tossed out due to that claim if the plaintiffs cannot prove otherwise.

[Gravekeeper]

Yeah, the response to her review claims she's a competitor out to get them. Which sounds more like an excuse to try and convince people to disregard the review. I'm curious how they identified her though.

Also, isn't the standard approach to what you think is a BS review just contacting the review site and having it removed? ;p They're certainly not going to win a shred of good PR by randomly suing people on the Internet that said mean things to them.

[Peppergirl]

Agreed. Total overreaction, not to mention shady that the woman was just now hearing about it via the reporter. Assuming she's telling the truth.

I can just picture that woman who runs the center as one of those snotty blowhards who loves to hear her own voice. Not to mention, a snob. This daycare is in a somewhat high-end part of town.

[dendawg]

It's shit like this that makes me wish anti-SLAPP laws were nationwide.

[Akasa]

Anti-SLAPP laws?

[dendawg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLAPP

[tropicsgoddess]

That's way out of line, IMO. Suing for bad reviews?!! I wouldn't want to any place my business if they'll go apeshit and slap a lawsuit to anybody giving them bad reviews.

[insertNameHere]

Yeah, I posted a review of the company who did our hottub and my mom bitched at me to take it down because she, "doesn't want to deal with a slander lawsuit", they botched the job, caused my hottub to set fire, tried to blame it on repairs we had done before, not to mention ordered the wrong part, and OH yeah the explanation of what "we" might have done to make the connection loose, was the exact way they installed the new pump.

It is sad when freedom of speech can't be used for fear of getting a lawsuit.

[Rapscallion]

It is sad when freedom of speech can't be used for fear of getting a lawsuit.

Hard to find a suitable middle ground. Got to allow people to have reasonable freedom of speech. Got to allow people to defend themselves against slander.

Not a fun job and I'm glad I'm not a judge for such cases.

Rapscallion

[PepperElf]

thing is the owner might have cut her own throat on this one.

SHE posted a public review that can fall under the Libel category:

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe...on=openratings

Yes, the school's attorneys always pursue the ill-advised malicious internet posters!

sounds like quite a cuntbitch fuckup

pretty much "wahhhh i don't like what they said about me. MOMMYYYYY! someone complained about me online! HULKBITCH SMASH!"

[lordlundar]

Hard to find a suitable middle ground. Got to allow people to have reasonable freedom of speech. Got to allow people to defend themselves against slander.

Not a fun job and I'm glad I'm not a judge for such cases.

Rapscallion

I agree, but filing a lawsuit for anyone posting anything negative is WELL beyond the middle ground.