How to Remove Libel or Slanderous Content
- 1). Locate the source of the libel or slanderous content. You need look no further than the publisher of the content. Even if a publisher is only the platform on which someone spouts defamatory remarks, the publisher is still responsible for disseminating them.
- 2). Investigate any validity in the allegedly defamatory remarks. If there is any truth whatsoever to the comments, that truth can be used as a defense if you try to sue. It is best to ensure you are on stable legal footing before proceeding with a civil suit.
- 3). Hire a lawyer. Not only will attorneys be able to assist in identifying potential justifications for a legal suit against the publisher, they also provide an intimidation factor that increases the chances of you settling your potential dispute outside of court.
- 4). Send a formal request through your lawyer to all publishers of the defamatory remarks asking them to remove the content immediately. Doing so may scare publishers who do business on the Internet into removing the content out of fear of a legal battle harming their reputation. Other major publishers, such as newspapers and magazines, may be more likely to rally behind their stories and take on a court case head-on. Either way, asking is worth a try.
- 5). File a lawsuit. If the damage done to your reputation is significant and you are willing to take the risk of a formal trial, a lawsuit is the surest way to get justice for the defamatory remarks. Provided you can prove the remarks caused tangible damage to your reputation and the publisher is unable to prove the comments are true, the court will issue a legal order to remove the defamatory content at once.