Many people view social media channels as platforms to exercise freedom of expression without concern for their words’ accuracy or harm.
As an employer, your current or former employees, partners or clients can use Facebook and other platforms to spread lies and slander about your business or personal character. Defamation does serious damage, and you can take action before allowing things to get out of control.
Know how to define defamation
By knowing how to define defamation, you can prepare yourself against it. This is important if you have any online activity like tweeting, blogging or posting. Defamation occurs when you make harmful statements that are false. Slander occurs when statements occur verbally, and libel takes place through writing.
Know where defamation occurs
Defamation can occur through comments posted online, personal blogs, posted videos and many other areas of self-expression. The statement could seem innocent or it could promote malicious untruths. Something as minor as name-calling could qualify as character assassination and damage the reputation of your business. It could come from a partner unhappy with the direction of the company or from a former, disgruntled employee.
Know how to minimize the impact of defamation
Take action before too much damage takes place when you feel believe defamation is taking place. Do not engage with the individual, and if possible, block the user. Report the content to the social media platform and increase your profile’s security settings.
Although you cannot keep people from speaking their minds, you can take steps to prevent them from ruining your business’s reputation. Keep your social media accounts under scrutiny for negative perspectives.