14 DAY TRIAL // Search giant Google must reveal the identity of a user who posted a negative review on a teeth-whitening business page, according to an Australian court order.
Dentist Matthew Kabbabe says an Internet user who goes by the name of “CBsm 23” posted a negative review on his Google page, and given the search company refused to remove the comments, he’s now trying to launch a defamatory case against the disgruntled customer.
But to do so, he first needs to obtain the personal details from Google, with the US-based tech giant now being required to share information like names, phone numbers, IP addresses, and location metadata, according to a report from ABC.
Dr. Kabbabe’s lawyer, Mark Stanarevic, explains the negative review caused losses worth thousands of dollars.
“Sometimes people just look at one or two bad reviews and decide to go somewhere else. We think Google has a duty of care to Australian small businesses and businesses globally for allowing these reviews to go on. Google has to be accountable for these actions. We want to know who the anonymous reviewer is. They've defamed my client. He's lost thousands and thousands of dollars,” Stanarevic explained.
VPN? What VPN?
While Google has until now remained tight-lipped on the case, the lawyer says a response should be offered in a few weeks.
Asked what he expects to happen if online reviewers use a VPN to hide their identity, Stanarevic claims the law enforcement has the necessary tools to track them down anyway.
“If you're out there trying to hide by anonymity, even via VPN, I think the court system's catching up now and there are ways and means of obtaining that information,” he says.
It remains to be seen if Google does provide the required information, but if it does, it’s a new precedent that could significantly affect the way the review system works in the first place, making many people think twice before sharing negative comments online.