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So You're Thinking About
Establishing A Gripe Site...
Following are comments and
opinions from somebody who established a gripe site
and was sued in federal court by the business complained about.
The following is NOT legal advice!
Prior to establishing any gripe site, this website's publisher recommends
you consult an attorney familiar with the law in your State.
| Think |
| Think
about the following: |
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WHY
do you want to establish a gripe site?
If it's because you're angry and want to "get
even," give yourself some
time to calm down. Think about it again in a week
or so.
Don't act rashly.
If it's because you want to alert other consumers,
and you've considered
the possible consequences, you're on the right
path.
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Have
you considered the possible consequences?
The object of your criticism may be a business
with lots of money to
spend, and it may retain aggressive
lawyers. What happens if you're
sued?
Are you prepared to spend countless hours,
days, weeks, months
defending your free speech right? It's really
not "free," you know--you
may have to fight for it.
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| Prepare |
| Search
for gripe sites similar to yours |
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Search the web, or refer to our gripesites links, to see if
somebody else
has already established
a gripe site about the same, or a similar,
company. Find out
what the website publisher(s) encountered and
how they handled it. Learn
from their experiences.
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| Familiarize
yourself with internet and free speech issues |
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Visit
this site's Resources section.
Use the web to learn as much as you can.
Benefit from the experience of others.
Issues that I found of particular interest, and which seem,
from my observation, to recur in many legal actions: Trademark
infringement, copyright infringement, and defamation (or libel).
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| Consult
an attorney |
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Most
gripe site publishers probably don't consult an attorney before
publishing a gripe site (that's my personal conjecture). It
may save you later grief if you consult an attorney prior to
publishing your website. Of course, it would be best if the
attorney is familiar with internet-related issues as well.
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Don Your Mental Armor |
| Expect
nasty e-mails - don't reply to them |
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Once
your website is online, be prepared to receive nasty e-mail
from the subect of your criticism, employees, family and friends.
A personal recommendation: Save them somewhere, but don't respond
to nasty messages. Any e-mails you send could later be used
against you.
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| Expect
a letter from a lawyer |
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If you're
complaining about a business, it's likely the business has
more money than you, and a lawyer on retainer. I've observed
a few gripe sites which the company complained about has chosen
to ignore--but that appears to be the exception. If
you receive a letter from a lawyer, consult an attorney. A
free speech advocacy group (see Resources
section) may be willing to assist you, but much
may depend on their available resources and the strength of
your case.
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| Don't
expect others to understand |
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Don't
be surprised if co-workers, friends, and family members don't
share your zeal or idealistic determination to exercise and
preserve your "free speech rights." However, you may
find yourself receiving words of support and encouragment from
strangers who do understand. But in the final analysis, don't
depend on others--it's your battle. |
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Featured
Gripe Sites
Kaiser thrives on ruining lives.
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