What’s this I hear about businesses filing lawsuits when a customer gives them a bad review online? Not only am I disturbed about this, but so are some in Congress. They want to protect your right to review.
Four US Congressmen introduced a bill called the Consumer Review Freedom Act. This bill would prevent businesses from censoring customers, especially when it comes to writing negative reviews on sites like Angie’s List, Yelp, and all other review sites. This bill stems from a real life case. A toy company tried to get $3,500 from a Utah couple who posted a bad review about them. The company claimed it violated a contract. The couple refused to pay and the case ended up in court. The judge dismissed the claim and sided with the couple. Review sites like Yelp and Angie’s List support Consumer Review Freedom Act. Representative Eric Swallwell, a California Democrat, is a staunch supporter of the bill. He believes customers shouldn’t be punished for honest reviews, whether they be good or bad. He said, “This is commonsense legislation to ensure the rights of consumers are protected and to penalize businesses attempting to silence fair criticism.? But the Consumer Review Freedom Act has a difficult road. A similar bill was proposed in 2014. It didn’t make it out of Congress.
I hope Consumer Review Freedom Act passes. Customers should not be censored or bullied for expressing their praise or complaints. I understand some reviewers lie and post negative reviews for more sinister reasons, and that’s another story for another time. But most reviewers are honest in their assessments. Do businesses want better reviews? Then give your customers the best goods and services you possibly can. Do right by them. Treat them like you’d want to be treated. Give them a fair price and don’t rip them off. Then your reviews will take care of themselves. If we let them tell us how to post reviews, then?where will it stop?