The social media phenomenon is interesting in so many ways. It is often used as a way to tell the world that one exists – hence the incessant need to tell friends on Facebook or Twitter exactly what you are doing, whether it be looting in Vancouver or reading a book.
And while it feeds our desire to tell the world that we are indeed alive and relevant, it also reflects a very thin skin among those who feel that they have been over-exposed.
Fast Company relates a story from earlier this year about a Benihana restaurant in Kuwait in which a blogger complained about his meal. Benihana sued him for $18,000 in damages – this case is still before the courts.
Closer to home, in 1985 a New York Court dismissed a lawsuit against a food critic on the basis that the critic’s comments were opinion only and therefore not actionable for damages. Hat tip to Jonathan Turley for this info.
Now the Taipei Times reports that a blogger has been jailed for 30 days for claiming that a restaurant’s noodles were too salty. The blogger, Ms. Liu, claimed, according to the newspaper, that the food “was too salty, the place was unsanitary because there were cockroaches and that the owner was a “bully” because he let customers park their cars haphazardly, leading to traffic jams.”
The court stated that Ms. Liu was wrong to claim the food was too salty as she only tried one dish and that health inspectors inspected the restaurant and found satisfactory sanitary conditions. She was fined NT$200,000 and given 30 days in jail.
Ouch.
Posted in: Legal Post, Substantive Law, Wacky News Tags: benihana, bloggers, chinese food, food critics, Legal News, Mitch Kowalski, New York, restaurant industry, social media, Taiwan
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