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Written by Jeff Poissant, RGD, updated October 2025.
In 2016, Evolving Media wrote an article for Kitchen’s On Wheels Canada to address the issue of negative reviews written by unscrupulous people on Social Media. We discussed the issue of fake news and the #METOO movement and how it affects businesses today. In 2019, we updated and published another article and two additional articles on the same relevant topic. We’re 2024, and not much has changed. Social media is a forever toxic environment, which is not to say that there is not some good.
In the age of social media, where everyone wants and needs to be heard, looking for their 15 minutes of fame. It can be difficult to weed out factual news articles, even more, difficult to determine if the review you just read, is legitimate.
You didn’t buy that widget you wanted because of a negative review placed by a bored, ten-year-old, at home.
Mark Zuckerberg, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Facebook, the largest Social Media platform to date, recently acknowledged that many news articles that people share on Facebook are fake. Granted, he seems to think the percentage is small, but he has no idea what the actual number is.
Mark Zuckerberg Addresses Fake News On Facebook November 19, 2016, at 5:21 PM ET NPR
We live in a time where there are no filters, and everything is instant.
Same holds true with websites that allow the general public to post comments, write bad reviews, slander a company, without fact-checking. The provider of the site assumes no responsibility, conducts little or no followups, and has no journalists on staff to weed out the noise. What’s worse, no one can get in touch with the owners of these websites.
In another, more recent event;
Wendy’s Serves Up A Takedown Of A Twitter Troll January 3, 2017, at 7:47 pm EST. The Huffington Post Canada.
Someone on Twitter claimed that Wendy’s Restaurants do not use fresh meat, only frozen. Wendy’s Restaurant Corporate, shut them down, by reinforcing the founder’s belief.
WHAT IS A COMPANY TO DO?
As you work on your business or organization, what steps do you take to filter out the “Bad Reviews” and the “noise.” The first step is to acknowledge that it’s impossible to avoid a “Bad Review” and even more impossible to prevent “false claims” by a disgruntled employee, an angry customer, or your competition, who may be afraid of your success or who aim to tear you down.
ASK YOURSELF, WHAT DO YOU DO?
Do you arm yourself to the teeth with Lawyers and go after every lousy review you receive? You wouldn’t likely be in business for long as your earnings would go to paying for the Lawyer’s new car or their vacation to Hawaii.
Relax, step back and take a deep breath. Next, acknowledge that it is impossible to please everyone.
The fact is that likes, dislikes, and the accompanying opinions are subjective. No matter how much information you provide a client or how smoothly you operate, someone will be unhappy; all you can do is do your best. Try to answer the questions to the best of your ability, stay positive, maintain a friendly stance, and treat every customer as new.
Serve them the best dish, give them proper service, be polite, and make sure to get paid. The next step, and this one, is essential. Do not panic.
Take a deep breath, sip some wine, have a beer, or enjoy a nice cup of Espresso coffee or tea. Negative feedback is a part of life and is not the end of the world. Nothing great was built in a day, and success involves a few bumps on the road. If you live in the province of Quebec or the Nation’s capital, well, potholes.
Published in Evolving Media Chronicles
Written by Jeff Poissant, RGD
Edited by Kevin Burns
ISSN 2562-5578 (Print)
ISSN 2562-5586 (Online)
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