Stupid question about forum etiquette

Sapindus

I have wondered this for years.  Why do some people not mention names of major supermarkets, websites etc on forums?  Sometimes they just substitute a letter for a number or symbol, or satrise the names slightly (e.g. Trashco or Been and Queued)  It's not universal, only some people do it.  I've wondered if it's the principle of not proving any free advertising (I heard someone once say they turned supermarket carrier bags inside out for this reason) or so they don't get sued for defamation.

What is the real reason?

Barny1979

I presumed it was their "wacky" character......

Grumpy_chap

I think, maybe, some people use a non-name because they don't want to say that supermarket "X" is really bad for doing something when it is something that all the supermarkets get wrong.

coffeehound

I wondered if it was to avoid getting the site sued for libel or whatnot

MalMonroe

Sapindus said:

I have wondered this for years.  Why do some people not mention names of major supermarkets, websites etc on forums?  Sometimes they just substitute a letter for a number or symbol, or satrise the names slightly (e.g. Trashco or Been and Queued)  It's not universal, only some people do it.  I've wondered if it's the principle of not proving any free advertising (I heard someone once say they turned supermarket carrier bags inside out for this reason) or so they don't get sued for defamation.

What is the real reason?

The real reason is that the original poster could be sued for defamation.

If you read the Forum Rules (updated last week), you will find a section about it on there. One of the sentences is "We appreciate emotions can run high should you experience poor service from companies, but we cannot accept active calls to boycott organisations as we are unable to verify the service you received."

If a company contacts MSE to complain, it is the poster of the comment, not MSE, who could end up in court. 

So this site recommends caution whenever users post comments. 
 

MalMonroe

coffeehound said:

I wondered if it was to avoid getting the site sued for libel or whatnot

It is - but it isn't the site that would be sued. It'd be the poster of the adverse comment. 

Sapindus

Thanks - that's more or less what I thought then.  Though it still doesn't quite make sense, because I see people posting quite innocuous or even positive comments and using the pseudonyms, as if they're not quite sure why they're doing it either.  And I think if a supermarket really wanted to go to the trouble of suing someone for complaining they'd had a bad experience, a substituted zero is not going to wash in court as a defence!  A bit like that sentence in films that says "any resemblance to real persons whether living or dead is purely co-incidental"! 
Slightly more likely I suppose that someone in the supermarket is sitting there all day searching the internet for negative mentions to sue people for, and the misplaced zero will stop them finding yours?  Not convinced...

MovingForwards

I do it in diaries as I don't want people searching for a particular business and coming across random nattering as that possibly isn't of use to them eg spent £x in (insert shop) today.

If it's in other sections I just use the name eg picked up some great plants for £x in (insert shop) today, if your after (plant name) go before they sell out.