Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

glassdoor review and threat of being sued

123 replies

thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:19

I wrote an honest negative review on glassdoor about a company I interviewed with. I used an email address which is not my normal one although I know glassdoor doesn't show your name and their site says they don't tell the organisation if the organisation asked. My review was accurate and professional, no swear words or anything like that. They are a small organisation. Lots of people warned me against applying but I did and didn't enjoy the interview experience. There aren't many glassdoor reviews due to their size. They work with, and mostly employ, people who have backgrounds of homelessness, addiction etc.
I've since received a nasty email from the owner along the lines of "we know it was you who wrote the review, take it off or we'll sue". I've not responded.
I am worried though. Should I take it off? Can they sue me? And what if they contact my current employer (I got a better job offer almost immediately afterwards). My company is a similar employer in a sector where most organisations know each other. I love my job. its a bigger organisation with lots of (positive) glassdoor reviews. I'm just worried that they will ruin it.
What do I do? Do I just ignore or do I give in and remove the review - bearing in mind other potential employees, including vulnerable people, could then have a similar experience.
Any lawyers, HR experts who can advise?
YABU - remove the review
YANBU - ignore the threat

OP posts:
DiIIy · 22/05/2023 19:23

You left a negative review just off an interview? You didn't even work for them? A negative review after probably 45 mins of knowing them?

Original poster
thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:24

You can write a review of your interview experience, yes

OP posts:
007DoubleOSeven · 22/05/2023 19:26

Sue on what basis?

Either you wrote something factually inaccurate, or not.

It's a genuine question, I'm not familiar with the law, but if your review was both accurate and objective I don't understand what they could sue about.

Original poster
thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:27

they said sue for defamation

OP posts:
FergalforPM · 22/05/2023 19:28

They can't sue you if you wrote the truth. But more significantly, unless they can prove it was you (which they can't unless you tell them) they can't sue you anyway. Just ignore them.

stbrandonsboat · 22/05/2023 19:31

They're not going to sue you. They don't know it's you and defamation is extremely difficult to prove and very very costly. You were telling the truth and they don't have a leg to stand on. Just ignore.

Throughalookingglass · 22/05/2023 19:33

I don't have a legal background but surely the point of Glassdoor is to leave reviews - both negative and positive - for future interview candidates and employees.
More people leave negative reviews than positive reviews. Thats just human nature.
Surely Glassdoor wouldn't exist with the number of companies suing people for negative reviews if they could do so?

FergalforPM · 22/05/2023 19:38

Throughalookingglass · 22/05/2023 19:33

I don't have a legal background but surely the point of Glassdoor is to leave reviews - both negative and positive - for future interview candidates and employees.
More people leave negative reviews than positive reviews. Thats just human nature.
Surely Glassdoor wouldn't exist with the number of companies suing people for negative reviews if they could do so?

Not least because it's a US company anyway and most of the US internet corporations don't give a flying fuck about UK law. US law is much much more permissive in relation to these things. I'd love to see a tin-pot UK employer go up against Glassdoor. Won't happen.

ZoeyBartlett · 22/05/2023 19:38

We had a negative review on Glassdoor which named people. Only thing we could do was get names removed. They can't sue and Glassdoor won't tell them who you are.

BadgerFacedCoo · 22/05/2023 19:40

Add their threat to glass door.

Original poster
thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:44

then they would know who I was?

OP posts:
Throughalookingglass · 22/05/2023 19:45

BadgerFacedCoo · 22/05/2023 19:40

Add their threat to glass door.

As much as that would be satisfying to do, it confirm who the author of the review is.
I wouldn't add their threat because it sounds like your industry might be close knit and they could cause trouble to your reputation down the line.
Just leave your review as it is. Its true and factual and they should be more concerned with correcting what they are doing wrong than threatening to go after people who dare to be critical of them.

CindersAgain · 22/05/2023 19:47

thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:44

then they would know who I was?

Under the same account as your original review?

PenguinTattoo · 22/05/2023 19:50

Perhaps you were the only one they interviewed or they interviewed so few people you were identifiable. Insane to come after you either way.

BadgerFacedCoo · 22/05/2023 19:50

thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:44

then they would know who I was?

They already know who you are. That's how you have the email.

You don't have to say you left the original review.

Just create a new account, all wide eyed that you received this email, how strange....

BadgerFacedCoo · 22/05/2023 19:51

CindersAgain · 22/05/2023 19:47

Under the same account as your original review?

Show quote history

They emailed OP to her proper email not her burner.

GoodChat · 22/05/2023 19:52

They can take you to court if they believe your review to be untrue.

I wrote a scathing review of a former employer. Glass door contacted me to ask if I wanted the review to remain based on the strong wording (they were racist and discriminatory and we were told if we weren't happy we clearly didn't fit their culture) and that they were happy for it to remain if it was factual but to be aware the company could take legal action if they saw fit.

I didn't take legal action against them when I should have (maternity discrimination) so I told Glassdoor it's a completely factual review and id like it to stay. If they decide to take me to court in future id say everything I said on the review there too.

CindersAgain · 22/05/2023 19:56

BadgerFacedCoo · 22/05/2023 19:51

They emailed OP to her proper email not her burner.

Show quote history

So they know who she is already? I am confused.

VioletladyGrantham · 22/05/2023 19:58

I think they have worked out who left the review by gut feeling alone (or by asking different interviewers their gut feeling about interviews that didn't go well). However, at the moment it is just them hedging their bets. They don't know for certain, and the might have sent the same email to others. However, If you take your review down they will surely know it is you!
Clearly someone went to a lot of effort to find out your email address though, and that would concern me more.

Original poster
thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:59

@BadgerFacedCoo they are guessing, correctly, but I am not going to say that

@PenguinTattoo they don't recruit often, but I doubt I was the only person they rejected.

@CindersAgain Glassdoor don't show names or emails but I used a fake email for the review, just in case. The company have my 'real' email address and that's where they sent the legal threat to.

OP posts:
Reugny · 22/05/2023 20:03

Clearly someone went to a lot of effort to find out your email address though, and that would concern me more.

It means OP had a lucky escape

However OP I think you want this thread deleted as it can be found by Google, and if the company are that pissed about a Glassdoor review they will be doing everything to find you.

BlossomOfOrange · 22/05/2023 20:04

They might have sent the email to everyone they emailed

Quveas · 22/05/2023 20:04

I'm going to suggest a different perspective. They know who you are. They know who your employer is. They could probably work out who your next employer is. And it is a small sector where everyone knows everyone else. You have given your version of factual. They could give their version of factual as well. It could get very messy. For a very long time. Is that review so important that that is a risk worth taking? If so, leave it there. If not, you have no evidence to support your statements (since there couldn't have been anyone on your side as a witness) and it becomes "he said/ she said" and your reputation possibly bandied around in places that matter to you.

Sometimes the truth isn't worth the fight. But only you can decide whether it is or not.

BlossomOfOrange · 22/05/2023 20:04
  • interviewed not emailed!
CaroleSinger · 22/05/2023 20:05

thelonelyones · 22/05/2023 19:59

@BadgerFacedCoo they are guessing, correctly, but I am not going to say that

@PenguinTattoo they don't recruit often, but I doubt I was the only person they rejected.

@CindersAgain Glassdoor don't show names or emails but I used a fake email for the review, just in case. The company have my 'real' email address and that's where they sent the legal threat to.

The fact they replied to your real email address makes me wonder if they nay have recognised you from your review. Did you mention things only someone they interviewed at the time would be saying, where they've worked it out?