Credentialed professionals and businesses are at constant risk of defamation. Commercial disparagement may attack the reputation of a business, while defamatory statements may target the reputation of a specific professional.
Physicians, attorneys, accountants and others who provide specialized services are at risk of current or former clients damaging their reputations by making exaggerated or fabricated claims about their professional services. Social media has made it easier than ever before to spread false information about professionals or businesses. In fact, the way most social media platforms work may actually encourage people to make inaccurate and exaggerated claims.
Social media loves drama
The more inflammatory a statement is, the more likely a post is to gain traction on social media. That is true across all different platforms. From short video platforms to social media sites that rely heavily on text-based communication, content that triggers emotions and stirs controversy is more likely to go viral than balanced, rational content.
People sometimes take minor experiences and blow them out of proportion by exaggerating what occurred or fabricating elements that make the story more entertaining. Such conduct is not inherently wrongful if it only relates to an individual’s daily life.
However, once they involve a business or a professional in their partially falsified online rhetoric, the situation becomes much different. Those who create excessively negative narratives about an experience at a business or the services provided by a licensed professional can cause real damage to those companies and professionals.
In scenarios where false or hyperbolic claims gain traction online, professionals and business leaders may have grounds to pursue a defamation or commercial disparagement lawsuit. Reviewing any inappropriate content and the truth of an interaction with a business litigation attorney can help those affected by social media misconduct address a related situation effectively.