When I'm gonna to buy something online or even try a new restaurant, I read the reviews. I take them with a grain of salt if they're overly negative or positive.
Businesses can now file a SLAPP lawsuit, which means Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, and can wind up setting you back up to six figures if the review was really bad.
The suits are often crafted to be complicated, lengthy, and expensive for participants. Basically, a deterrent from being negative and a way to make you apologize and remove the offending review.
However, 28 states and Washington, DC have added a consumer friendly law to their books to help customers leave honest reviews. Always remember to only review when you are calm and beware if you aren’t in these states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Washington.
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