Defamation can not only affect your reputation and good name when others come in contact with the defamatory statements, but defamatory Internet postings can follow you for a long time when they are indexed by search engines like Google, Yahoo, or Bing.  That is why it is vital to work with a company to have the defamatory statements removed immediately from the website and from the search engines so potential searchers so not find the negative mentions of you or your company.

Defamation, sometimes called “defamation of character”, is spoken or written words that falsely and negatively reflect on a living person’s reputation.

Slander is generally spoken and libel is generally written. Many people call anything online that is false and negative, internet slander or online defamation.

In order to prove defamation, you have to be able to prove that what was said or written about you was bogus or false. If the information is factual, or if you agreed to publication of the matter, you will not have a case. However, you may bring a defamatory action if the comments are so liable and false that they effect your reputation in the community (And You Can Prove Damages).

If you have been defamed you may seek both actual damages, to recover the injury that you have suffered, and punitive damages to penalize the person who made the statement (and serve as an example to discourage others).

If the defamation inappropriately accused you of a crime or reflected on your profession, the Court or jury can assess the damages. For other types of defamation you have to prove some real damage to be able to recover.