Forum Legalities

[Batfink]

Right as briefly explained in my "new member post" I have been having alot of trouble with a particular forum that I use for advertising purposes. The things that are being posted can range anything between general comments about the work we do and the products that we supply through to personal attacks on my other half who does alot of the technical side of the business. We have been running the company for about 10 years now and have of course had customers that are not happy with the service we provide and have had these issues before. It usually has just been a phone call or an email to sort out any issues they have and we have gone on with our lives!
The problems started when we got involved with two companies that we were supposed to be working with as a way to compliment each others services however this ended up with both of these companies doing the same work as us and as such were taking our customers. One of the companies we ended up in court with and we both agreed at the end that we would go our separate ways and that would be the end of it all!
We are now having to deal with a constant backlash of customers of these companies bad mouthing us and our company. We follow the forum rules and only post when we need to answer questions etc and report any posts that we
feel is unfair etc.
We constantly get the same answer back from the admin/moderators that if we have a problem that we should reply on the forum but we have done this time and time again and it just results in massive arguments/thread closures and i'm afraid arguing on a public forum does make a company look very unprofessional
which is why we don't do it.
The forum is run by basically a group of youngsters who I think have the "i'm safe behind my computer" attitude but it's not a game to us! This is our business and we have a family to support!

Any advice/help welcome really as we have had enough!

Batfink

[Guest]

Re: Forum Legalities

Did you read the link I posted on your other thread?

They are not safe behind their computers, far from it. Anonymity no protection for online libellers | The Register

Write to them and inform them that you will be seeking an order that they disclose the identity of the posters who you judge have committed libel as you intend to bring a claim against them and the site and it's owners.

As Celestine has pointed out, this will have more gravitas if it comes from a solicitor and although we tend to recommend that you represent yourself, in this case you might need the threat of a costly legal case to bring them to heel.

[Batfink]

Re: Forum Legalities

Yeah was just reading that link! Very interesting!

So do you think that we should write to them first ourselves as a official warning and then if we get no answer then hit them with a solicitors letter? Or just go in for the kill so to speak!

[Guest]

Re: Forum Legalities

What is more important in a situation like this is that if state you will carry out a particular action and they call your bluff, you act swiftly and decisively in the manner in which you said you would.

I do not think it important that the initial letter comes from a solicitor, as long as, if they fail to abide by your demands, your second one does and you carry through your threat of court action.

[Batfink]

Re: Forum Legalities

Yeah I see your point! Basically give them say 7-14 days to reply or remove the offending posts etc and behave themselves! if they don't stick to the rules then hit them with solicitors and court!

[Guest]

Re: Forum Legalities

In the case of offending posts, then time is of the essence. You should demand that they are removed in accordance with their "take down" policy and without delay. As for your other demands, you should formulate what you want and by when and make sure that if you set a deadline, you stick to it.

[Batfink]

Re: Forum Legalities

Ok that seems sensible!

However we get quite alot of work from this forum and our one concern is that we would have serious problems if we ended up taking their forum down as the majority of people are fine but as usual it's a small handful of people that cause us hassle! I suppose it's a risk we would have to take!

[Bitingback]

Re: Forum Legalities

"but as usual it's a small handful of people that cause us hassle!", now how familiar does that sound!!,

Batfink I can't really offer anything further to what has allready been said, your issues are serious, therefor the forum in question has to be made aware how serious you regard them and to what lengths you are going to go to have them resolved.

Any letters you prepare now are your offer to have these issues resolved for the best of all concerned. There will be a timetable and deadlines that have to be met detaild in these letters.

Good luck.

[Amethyst]

Re: Forum Legalities

What kind of business are you in? if you dont mind me asking.

[Batfink]

Re: Forum Legalities

What kind of business are you in? if you dont mind me asking.

Automotive performance tuning and upgrades

[Tools]

Re: Forum Legalities

Peugeot`s to be more precise.

[Batfink]

Re: Forum Legalities

Peugeot`s to be more precise.

LOL! anything really not specilists on any make really! Lotus, renault, right up to porsche, aston martins!

[Xena]

Re: Forum Legalities

Spas Chariots??????

[Sapphire]

Re: Forum Legalities

Spas Chariots??????

They might be called that where you live hun, but where I live a lot of pensioners drive Porches and the like pmsl.

Anyway back on topic !!!!!!!!