How to put an end to damaging online defamation? While almost all online forums, review sites and social media platforms allow users to report damaging and false content, we all know this might not be a real end to the problem. Reporting an account or online user and flagging inappropriate content is great, but often it takes many reports before the admins or platform even consider the complaint and suspend or shut the offending account down. So, reporting is often just a band-aid solution, because we know the offender can simply register a new fake account in less than two minutes, and then harassment and defamation continues. Defamation Investigation Services provide a real solution to stop the damage once and for all. And they give the victim a chance to hold the offender accountable, potentially even for financial losses suffered from defamation.
Cybertrace specialises in complex cyber investigations which includes scams, crypto related cybercrime and social media investigations of trolls, cyberbullying, stalking and of course, online defamation. We have an excellent track record of revealing who is behind anonymous social media accounts and fake reviews and we have even developed some of our own technical tools to identify offenders.

How Do We Investigate Cases of Online Defamation?
Connected Accounts & Content Analysis
Well, we can’t give out all our secrets of course, but there is a lot we can do. If we’re dealing with an anonymous social media account, our online defamation investigators will look at connected accounts, published content, and search for content otherwise not easily found through analysis of the account. Investigators will carefully conduct content analysis to determine if language and writing patterns are identified as being consistent between the offender and anyone the victim may have as a suspect.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is often a big part of a online defamation investigation. What is social engineering? Wikipedia states, “In the context of information security, social engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential Information.”
What it means to Cybertrace investigators though, is to discreetly engage with an offender to try to extract information or to lead the offender into a situation which exposes them. Our social engineering techniques often aim to collect the offender’s IP address and other technical user data.
For serious cases of harassment, stalking and online defamation, where law enforcement deems there to be a criminal offence, the IP address of the offender can be used to identify them. Law enforcement have the authority to request the account holder records from the Internet Service Provider for the IP address. In other words, if the internet was accessed through an Internet Service Provider like Optus for example, the police would need to ask Optus who was accessing the internet through their IP Address.
However, online defamation is not a criminal offence and instead falls under civil law. As we are investigators, not lawyers, we’ll refer you to this article written by Gordon Legal for more details on Defamation and the applicable laws.
Related Topic: Social Media Investigations
What is an Example of Defamation?

Example of Cyber Defamation Online
A well-known blogger, whose sister was in the restaurant business, wrote a fallacious post claiming that a local restaurant owned by Anna Davis used stale ingredients in their dishes. The post included fabricated “evidence” created with the express intent of putting Anna’s restaurant out of business. Due to the blogger’s popularity and the way the algorithmic wind blew that week, the post went viral. Many people stopped dining at the restaurant causing Anna’s business to experience significant financial losses. Her reputation was tarnished, she didn’t know where to turn. Given that the claims were untrue and fabricated, she could sue the blogger for online defamation.
Example of Cyber Slander (Spoken Defamation Online)
A famous gamer accuses another gamer, Tim Lee, of cheating and hacking in a live-streamed gaming session. These sessions can become quite fiery but in this instance, the famous gamer has committed cyber slander.
(It is important to note that laws differ around the world, and in current times slander is considered a ‘branch’ of defamation.)
The famous gamer’s accusation is completely unfounded and bogus, but it spreads like wildfire throughout the gaming community, rapidly damaging Tim’s reputation. He is soon experiencing ostracism and harassment by other gamers. He loses sponsors and followers, and it costs him greatly, financially as well as psychologically. Tim could sue the famous gamer for cyber defamation.
What are the Key Elements of Cyber Defamation?
At Cybertrace, we interpret legislation and always ensure we are aware of any changes to it. Generally, across jurisdictions, something to be considered online defamation, there are four key elements that must be present:
- The person making the statement must be at fault, typically showing negligence or malice.
- The statement must be false.
- It must be communicated to others via the internet, such as through social media, blogs, forums, or live streams.
- The statement must cause harm to the subject’s reputation, business, or personal life.
What are The Consequences of Online Defamation?

What are The Consequences of Online Defamation?
The consequences of online defamation can be many and varied, affecting both the individual being defamed online and the offender. For the person who has been defamed, often the most pressing concern is the reputational damage which can affect their immediate financial situation, professional standing, relationships and status within their community.
This can then flow on into lost employment, business opportunities, and decreased income over the longer term. On top of this, the defamed individual may experience their privacy being invaded and unwanted public attention due to the online defamation.
All of this can lead to profound emotional distress leading to more chronic issues of anxiety, depression and other health issues.
For the defamer, after the initial negative rush of trying to take someone down, they are now in a position where they may face civil legal action. They may face having to pay compensation and punitive damages, along with the legal expenses of the person they have defamed.
It’s no longer a laughing matter for the defamer, especially when, in some jurisdictions, online defamation can also result in criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
Indeed, the defamer’s reputation can suffer profoundly. They may also face financial, professional and social consequences. Once people understand the kind of person who is in their midst, the defamer may find they are no longer invited to the good parties, and their reputation may precede them when it comes to seeking employment opportunities.
Defamers often find they are pressed to make public apologies and corrections, while facing court orders to stop them making further defamatory statements, further damaging their credibility and reputation. At this point, they’d have to be wondering if it was all really worth it. In online contexts, defamers may also find themselves suspended or banned from the platforms they’ve previously participated freely in. Their defamatory content can also be removed from platforms and search engines.
Related Topic: Can I use Social Media to Check Someone’s Background?
Defamation and Social Media

Defamation and Social Media
While historically, online defamation cases involved print and broadcast media, the internet has expanded the scope and reach of defamation to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and review sites such as Yelp and Google Maps.
With these platforms being so central to people’s lives in the current era, false and harmful statements can easily proliferate. This can cause damage to people’s reputations and livelihoods.
We see it often. Clients come to us on the brink of devastation, or sometimes over the brink; they often feel their lives are ruined. With sensitive and attentive consultation, our highly skilled, multidisciplinary team will make a serious and analytical appraisal of their case. We will then offer a suite of cyber investigation services to help bring the online defamer to justice and return some semblance of order to the client’s life.
Related Topic: Investigating Anonymous Social Media Defamation
At Cybertrace, we understand the frustration and challenges that come with online defamation investigations. Whether you need help documenting interactions and gathering evidence, contact private investigators at Cybertrace. If you’ve experienced online defamation from anyone, even if it’s an anonymous user, we can help you.
This post was revised on 8 November 2024 for improved readability and accuracy.