I’m no expert so I’m just taking a stab in the dark:
- Sue the individual for defamation
- Create a new account
- Less honest businesses buy / have friends and family review the business to drown out the negative review. This seems to work and I guess is Google’s way of “letting the market handle it”.
- I would push on Google but not put my hope there for any redress at all.
You are the first person who didn’t scroll past this issue — and that already means a lot. Most people ignore these things until it happens to them.
What I wrote is about something deeper than just one false review. It’s about how Google now plays a role in violating basic human rights.
Yes, theoretically I could take the person to court for defamation. But here’s the problem: Google doesn’t ask for evidence. Google doesn’t even allow you to submit it.
We would be more than willing to present proof — screenshots, police reports, anything — even though, legally, under the presumption of innocence, we shouldn’t have to prove we’re not criminals. The burden of proof belongs to the accuser. But still — we tried. And we were denied even that chance.
Some might say, “Just make a new business profile.” But that means changing your company name, address, and years of hard-earned reputation. That’s not a solution — it’s a digital death sentence for small businesses.
Accusations like “theft” aren’t just comments — they’re weapons. And Google allows them to be fired without restraint or responsibility.
This post is not just about my case. It’s a call to pay attention to a larger problem — a platform with the power to destroy lives, but no interest in protecting truth.
Thank you again for not staying silent.
The legal presumption of innocence does not mean that someone has to be proven guilty before a platform can allow a third party to publish a claim that they have done something wrong, even if the wrong would be criminal.
It means that someone has to be proven guilty to a certain legal standard before the state can apply criminal punishment.