S'pore retailer sues customer over negative Shopee review, loses case, ordered to pay customer S$4,000
The judge found the review to be factual and of public interest.
A Singaporean appliance retailer, Asia Excel, recently lost a defamation lawsuit after a customer posted a negative review on the e-commerce platform Shopee. The retailer was ordered to pay the customer S$4,000 in costs, according to a judgment made public on August 31. The judge in the case noted that ratings and reviews are an integral part of the e-commerce ecosystem and that not all negative reviews can be considered defamatory.
The judge found that the customer's review was not defamatory, as it consisted of comments that were a matter of public interest, and thus the defense of fair comment applied. The judge emphasized that sellers must be prepared to accept both positive and negative feedback when buyers provide ratings and reviews on online platforms.
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