Whether "review bombing" is illegal is a complex question with no simple yes or no answer. Generally, review bombing itself is not illegal, as it is considered an expression of opinion, which is protected under free speech laws in many countries.
However, there are potential legal consequences depending on the specific circumstances:
- Defamation: If the reviews contain false and malicious statements that harm the reputation of a person or business, it could be considered defamation, which is illegal.
- Unfair Competition: If a competitor organizes a review bombing campaign with the intention of harming another business, it could be considered unfair competition, which is illegal in many jurisdictions.
- Violation of Platform Terms: While not illegal in the traditional sense, review bombing can violate the terms of service of online platforms like Steam or Rotten Tomatoes. These platforms may remove the reviews or ban users who engage in review bombing.
The intent and content of the reviews matter. Simply expressing dissatisfaction with a product is generally protected. However, spreading false information or engaging in a coordinated attack to damage a company's reputation could have legal repercussions.
Mitigation Strategies by Platforms
Platforms are actively developing strategies to mitigate the impact of review bombing, such as:
- Implementing algorithms to detect and filter out suspicious reviews.
- Requiring users to verify their purchase before leaving a review.
- Providing contextual information about the reasons behind a review bomb.
In summary, while review bombing itself is generally not illegal, the specific content and intent behind it can lead to legal consequences. Platforms also have their own policies and mechanisms to address review bombing.
