A French food blogger has been fined thousands of euros and ordered to change the title of a negative review after a judge ruled that the piece appeared too prominently on Google. Ads by Google Caroline Doudet wrote the post titled “The place to avoid in Cap-Ferret: Il Giardino” in August 2013, with the review appearing fourth in searches for the restaurant’s name. The restaurant’s owners sued Ms Doudet six months later, arguing that the article was hurting their business and the judge ordered Ms Doudet to change the title of the blog and pay €2,500 (£2000) in damages and costs earlier this month.This is insane. I read the review (well, a Google translation of it) and, while definitely negative, doesn't seem to extreme. Basically, the author says the service and food are bad. Okay...how is that worthy of a fine? How is any opinion offered on a for-free blog worthy of a fine? I don't know the laws in France that pertain to this - I assume the judge was acting withing the appropriate legal framework - but any country that allows this has problems.
A free society can't function if people are afraid to offer their opinions, whether on food, art, religion, politics, whatever. Even if your opinion is "x sucks! It sucks dead donkey balls" that should be okay. As long as your not writing (or saying) "I hate this restaurant; let's firebomb it" or something along those lines, then free speech should trump every other consideration.
You can read more at Eater.com and you can access the original article here.
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