Business Responses
Replying To Hypes and Gripes
Any business, person or entity that is the subject of a hype or gripe (kudos or complaints) on hypergripe.com may freely post a reply on hypergripe.com. To post a reply to any posting, find the page with the original message you want to post a reply to, and click on the button or link titled: “Post a Reply” or “Leave Your Comments”.
Defamation and Liability
Under U.S. federal law (the Communications Decency Act); if a court were to find that a complaint, message, comment or user post constitutes libel or defamation, the user making the original post or comment would be held legally responsible for damages to the reputation of that business, person or entity that is the subject of the post or comment. Under the same Act, because hypergripe.com does not censor posted user messages or investigate them for accuracy, hypergripe.com is not legally responsible for messages or comments that are posted, even if those messages or comments contain remarks that are defamatory. However, this law does not protect the person who leaves the messages or comments from responsibility for the content and intent of those messages or comments.
For business using social media for promotion or any other purpose (consumer responses), please see this excellent resource: Social Media – Avoid Getting Sued
For more information on laws limiting the liability of websites like hypergripe.com from written remarks posted on its site by third parties, and remediation of defamatory remarks, or copyright infringements, please visit these websites:
Defintions:
slander, defamation, libel
Internet Law Overview Regarding Defamation
Online Defamation Law – Electronic Frontier Foundation
What To Do About Copyright Infringement – Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act
Protection for private blocking and screening of offensive material
