Are there any laws related to online reviews?

Yes, there are laws related to online reviews in Rhode Island. According to the Rhode Island Right to Review Act, it is illegal for businesses to require consumers to sign a waiver or agreement that prevents them from leaving an online review. Businesses cannot punish or retaliate against consumers for leaving any kind of review, positive or negative. Additionally, any person or business who uses false information, deceptive means, or deceptive acts to mislead consumers about the business’s product must be duly noted in any online review. Nondisclosure of material facts about services or products offered, false statements made to influence consumer decisions, and other deceptive practices are all forbidden by the Rhode Island Right to Review Act. It is also important to remember that any online review must be true and not contain any material that could be considered libelous or slanderous. Libel is defined as false and malicious written statements about a person or business and slander is defined as false and malicious spoken statements about a person or business. Rhode Island law prohibits publishing online reviews that contain such false or malicious statements. If any consumer or business believes they have been wrongfully targeted by online reviews, they may be able to file a defamation lawsuit against the author of the review. However, it is important to note that in order for a defamation lawsuit to be successful, the complainant must be able to prove the statement in the review is false. Additionally, individuals or businesses posting true reviews cannot be held accountable for defamation.

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