Online debate rages over freedom of speech

Thursday 28 July 2016

An administrator behind one of Jersey's biggest online business review pages has taken to social media to defend it, saying local businesses getting bad reviews can't silence unhappy customers.

Posting on the Good or Bad Jersey Business page on Facebook, Richard Jonathan said he's looking at ways to monitor the site after a call for better protection from personal online attacks.

Nicky Holgate-Smith told Express she was devastated to see her name appear in comments about her work on the Facebook page, left for more than seven thousand Islanders who use it, to see.

Lucy Sanderson, who posted the bad review about her experience trying to cancel her gym membership at a local hotel where Nicky was working, said it's important for the thousands of people who use platforms like this to have freedom of speech and would be unfair to be silenced or have their honest comments restricted.

One of the page's administrators, Richard Jonathan, then added his view to the debate: "What the admins would like to propose is a mechanism for some level of moderation of this group without removing the freedom of consumers to leave truthful reviews that highlight services that are poor.....

“What we would like to do for local businesses and the public is to produce a group that provide the following:

1. The freedom that members deserve to leave the reviews they wish;

2. A mechanism for consumers that have received a poor service to tell others about it, but with the ability of reaching an outcome with a business that is fair and reasonable;

3. For businesses that have provided an outstanding service to be celebrated and for good reviews to further propel the success of that business;

4. For everyone to be able to enjoy the group."

Commenting on his posting Owen Corfield said he's self-employed and had more work come his way thanks to good reviews from customers on the page but says some of the more "ridiculous posts" need more attention.

"Eg: I went to a shop the other day and the cashier looked at me funny / didn't smile or say hello...I'm never going there again!"

Victoria Riant said she thinks "genuinely good and bad reviews are helpful" but questions whether "a lot of the bad reviews are more 'toys out of the pram' than actual bad service?!"

Posting on Facebook Richard Jonathan said they want to hear from local business so that they can begin to look into a solution that is fair for everyone.