1851

Can a company take away its customers&#8217; freedom of speech? If the Consumer Review Freedom Act passes, businesses will have to learn how to cope with the sting of an occasional bad Yelp review. The proposed bill, which is now pending in Congress, cracks down on so-called gag clauses that businesses can place in their terms of service that allow them to take legal action against customers who post anything disparaging about the business, including reviews posted online. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, a South Dakota Republican who sponsored the bill, argued that such clauses &#8220;stifle free and honest speech&#8221; and &#8220;decrease consumer power.&#8221; The legislation, which covers only contracts with consumers and not employees, already has the support of consumer-advocacy groups and online review websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp. Some companies, fearing the adverse effect of bad reviews, have been including non-disparagement clauses in contracts that customers must agree to when making a purchase. Many customers don&#8217;t even read this fine print, and then receive threatening letters from these companies after they post a negative review, even if their observations are true. At a hearing on the issue earlier this month, Jennifer Palmer, an Oregonian woman, testified that her husband had bought Christmas gifts from an online retailer called KlearGear. After the gifts never arrived and the company didn&#8217;t respond to their complaints, Palmer left a critical review of the company on RipoffReport.com. More than three years later, KlearGear contacted her, claiming she was in violation of a non-disparagement clause in the company&#8217;s terms of use and that she owed $3,500 unless she removed the review. But RipoffReport.com doesn&#8217;t allow consumers to remove their reviews, and KlearGear reported the $3,500 as an unpaid debt to collection agencies. &#8220;The internet is a critical economic engine, increasingly used for all types of commerce and communication, including for consumer reviews. Some organizations have sought to stifle customers&#8217; abilities to express their opinions online by threatening punitive action if a customer leaves a negative review,&#8221; says Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), one of the bill&#8217;s bipartisan sponsors. &#8220;The mere threat of monetary penalties or fines for writing honest reviews would chill the free exchange of opinions we expect to find on the Internet. The Consumer Review Freedom Act would put a stop to these outrageous attempts to silence free speech online.&#8221;<div><a href="http://restaurant-hospitality.com/social-media/court-ruling-senate-bill-pave-way-more-negative-online-reviews?page=2&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=senate-votes-to-protect-your-right-to-post-online-reviews-2912" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to read the original article. </a>&nbsp;</div>

1851 Franchise

If the Consumer Review Freedom Act passes, businesses will have to learn how to cope with the sting of an occasional bad Yelp review. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Senate Votes to Protect Your Right to Post Online Reviews  

senate-votes-to-protect-your-right-to-post-online-reviews

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Good Day Columbus: Home Insurance Expert Reveals Why Central Ohio Premiums Are Rising and How to Combat Costs

rising-home-insurance-costs-ohio

CapitalSpring

Primetime Fitness Expands Crunch Portfolio With CapitalSpring’s Backing

primetime-fitness-expands-crunch-portfolio-with-capitalsprings-backing

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees Scale to Multiple Locations

how-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees-scale-to-multiple-locations

Express Employment Professionals

Betting on Himself: How Chris Brown Built an Express Employment Professionals Franchise From the Ground Up

betting-on-himself-how-chris-brown-built-an-express-employment-professionals-franchise-from-the-ground-up

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers® Named One of America’s Best Home-Care Providers

comfort-keepers-named-one-of-americas-best-home-care-providers

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Senate Votes to Protect Your Right to Post Online Reviews

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS