Consumers can post feedback “without fear of retribution.”
A law signed by President Barack Obama does away with a tool some businesses had used to try to stop customers from posting negative Yelp reviews about them.
The bill stops businesses from including non-disparagement clauses in their terms and condition, according to a report published in the Miami Herald.
According to the article: “Such clauses say that a negative review of a business can give the store the ability to come after the consumer for reporting a bad experience.”
In many cases, customers agree to such conditions without reading them thoroughly when doing business online.
U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican from New Jersey, was the sponsor of the legislation, known as the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016. He said: “Online reviews and ratings are critical in the 21st century and consumers should be able to post, comment and tweet their honest and accurate feedback without fear of retribution.”
Examples of businesses that have sued clients over bad reviews include a dentist in New York who went after several patients, according to the article. He reportedly sought damages from $50,000 to $100,000 from each of the clients.
Read more at the Miami Herald