Reputation & speech · Checklist
A harmful post or a defamation demand: what to save first
Save the full publication, organize what happened, and prepare for a conversation from either side of the dispute.
Someone posted about me or my business
Save the exact words, images, audio or video, plus the full thread or page around them. Capture the URL, account name and the date and time you saw it. Keep any reposts or messages that show who saw it. Record any identifiable effects, such as cancelled bookings, separately from your assumptions about why they happened.
Someone says I defamed them
Keep the complete demand or court papers, including attachments. Record when and how you received them, and note any response date. Save the original publication, earlier versions, source material and relevant messages, including context that may cut both ways. If you already replied, edited or removed the material, record what changed and when.
Make a private timeline
Use three columns: date, what happened, and where to find the original record. Include when the material was first published or discovered, who received it if known, and any report, response or request for removal. Save the originals separately from any annotated copies.
Decide what you want to happen
Write down the result that matters most to you: removal, correction, an end to further publication, a response to the demand, or another outcome. Before amplifying a post through a public reply, consider getting advice about your options. If you received court papers or a time-sensitive notice, seek prompt legal advice about the deadline.
Your checklist
- Full publication and surrounding context
- URLs, account names, dates and times
- Complete demand or court papers, if any
- Relevant messages, changes and reposts
- Short timeline, known deadlines and desired outcome
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Official references
Defamation & Reputation services · Browse all Soundmark resources
General information, not legal advice. Booking a call does not extend a deadline or retain the firm.
Working with Soundmark Law
Talk through the next step
The free 15-minute introductory call is for understanding the issue, identifying any known deadline, and deciding whether the matter is a fit. If you need a document review or legal assessment, we’ll discuss scope and fees before work begins.
For the first call, have a short summary, the names of the parties and any known deadline. Keep sensitive records private until we confirm how to share them.
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