Local Mom sued over online review of child care center

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

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.

But it is not slander to say "My experience with them was less than I had hoped it would be" which is in a sense what the woman was posting. That she never had a chance to talk with teachers, see the classroom or get any communication whatsoever.

That's not slander, that's an expression of opinion with what the poster believes to be the truth. It would be rather like me saying that the cable company did not come within the 4 hour window promised (they NEVER have as far as I have experienced), was not forthcoming with an updated ETA, and when they got there they did not have the cable modem that they were supposed to bring to install my cable internet. I have a right to post that in the comment section of the customer satisfaction survey and I have a right to post that on any public feedback place.

It would have been something else entirely had the woman posted something to the effect that the facility whipped her kid with live rattlesnakes or something. That would be slander and/or libel depending on how she voiced that statement.

[fireheart17]

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

This just in: Iced tea through the nose HURTS!