Competitors, Ex-Employees, and Fake Reviews: Your Rights When Someone Attacks Your Business Online

By Davis Law Group Trial Attorneys

Online platforms allow customers to share their experiences, but they also create opportunities for competitors, disgruntled former employees, or anonymous users to post damaging and false statements. For small businesses, a single fake review can impact revenue, search rankings, and credibility.

Georgia law provides business owners with several legal remedies when online comments cross the line from opinion to defamation. Understanding your rights is the first step in protecting your reputation and your bottom line.

When a Negative Review Is Illegal

A negative review is not automatically defamation. Consumers are entitled to express their opinions. However, when a review contains false statements of fact—not opinions—and those statements harm your business, you may have legal grounds to act.

Examples of Potentially Actionable Statements

• Accusing your business of fraud or illegal activity

• Claiming your company caused physical harm when it did not

• Stating that you refused service for discriminatory reasons

• Posting made-up stories to damage your reputation

• Misrepresenting prices, services, or practices

• False claims written by a competitor pretending to be a customer

• Lies posted by ex-employees to retaliate for termination

If a statement can be proven false, and it harms your business, Georgia law may recognize it as defamation.

Who Is Behind the Fake Review

1. Competitors

• Defamation

• Tortious interference with business relations

• Unfair competition

• Violation

2. Shape

Disgruntled former employees may use online platforms to retaliate after termination. If they intentionally post false statements about your business practices, workplace environment, or services, they may be liable for defamation and other torts.

3. Anonymous Reviewers

Anonymous reviews are common, but anonymity does not shield a person from liability. A business can pursue legal steps to:

• Identify the poster through subpoenas to review platforms

• Demand remove

• Recover

  
  

Georgia Law on Business Defamation

1. A false statement of fact was published about the business

2. It was communicated to a third party (such as online readers)

3. The statement caused reputational or economic harm

Statements that accuse a business of dishonesty, fraud, criminal behavior, or unethical conduct may qualify as defamation per se, meaning harm is presumed.

What You Should Do When You Find a Fake or Malicious Review

1. Document the Post

Take screenshots, record dates, and preserve links. Online content can disappear quickly.

2. Do Not Respond Emotionally or Admit Fault

A knee-jerk response can be used against you later and may escalate the situation.

3. Report the Review to the Platform

not

• Fake reviews

• Conflicts of interest

• Reviews that violate platform guidelines

• Reviews with harassment or false statements

4. Consider a Cease-and-Desist Letter

And w

5. Evaluate Whether Legal Action Is Necessary

Litigation

• The review contains serious false allegations

• Your revenue or reputation has been damaged

• Competitors are engaged in deceptive review practices

• Ex-employees are engaged in a pattern of retaliation

Georgia

Legal Remedies Available to Georgia Business Owners

Depending on the situation, potential remedies include:

• Removal of the false review

• Retraction or correction

• Monetary damages for lost revenue

• Compensation for reputational harm

• Injunctions preventing further false statements

• To

For competitors who engage in deceptive practices, additional statutory remedies may apply.

Protecting Your Business Going Forward

Online reputation management is now a critical part of business operations. Consider:

• Established

• Warning

• Keeping accurate documentation of customer interactions

• Implementing internal policies to manage dissatisfied customers before they go public

A strong legal and operational strategy helps limit damage and prevent future attacks.

Conclusion

Fake or malicious online reviews are more than an inconvenience—they can disrupt revenue, damage credibility, and undermine years of work. Fortunately, Georgia law provides powerful remedies to protect businesses from defamatory statements posted by competitors, ex-employees, or anonymous users.

If you believe your business has been targeted, Davis Law Group Trial Attorneys can help you identify the source of the review, pursue removal, and recover damages if necessary. Your reputation is one of your most valuable business assets, and you have the right to protect it. Schedule a consultation or call us at 404-446-2932