About us
We represent the Association of Victims of Google Reviews, comprised of individuals who have experienced defamation and business interference via Google Maps and Google Reviews, along with those who stand in solidarity with these individuals.
Our association is led by an active medical practitioner in Japan. Google Maps and Google Reviews have caused significant issues for medical institutions. We aim to raise awareness of these issues and have initiated a class action lawsuit against Google in Japan.
What We Aim to Address in This Lawsuit:
Google Maps reviews, especially concerning medical institutions, present various problems, such as the following.
Effectively Mandatory Business Profile Registration:
Google Maps allows general users, unrelated to a facility, to partially edit facility information, leading to instances of tampering by malicious users. While it may be possible to ignore incorrect information displayed on less popular platforms, misinformation on Google Maps significantly impacts businesses and cannot be overlooked. Correcting such information often necessitates registering a business profile on Google Maps, so even clinics seeking independence from these platforms find themselves compelled to register.
The Problem of Asymmetrical and Anonymous Sharing of Information:
There are frequent lawsuits concerning the removal of Google reviews and the disclosure of the reviewers’ identities.
Google has argued in court that it is beneficial for consumers to have the ability to freely exchange information through various types of reviews. Even if negative reviews are posted, they believe that the facility should tolerate them as they fall within “tolerable bounds.” However, while good or bad reviews based on individual first-hand impressions might fall within this scope, the posting of outright false reviews is not uncommon. Such lies are beyond the limits of tolerance.
Furthermore, medical institutions face challenges in countering anonymous reviews while upholding confidentiality and medical advertising standards. As a result, institutions are often forced to endure the repercussions of untrue reviews.
Claims in the Lawsuit:
Our class action lawsuit asserts that the current functional and structural shortcomings of Google Maps impede the proper functioning of medical institutions. We demand that Google improve the functionality of Google Maps (we are seeking damages as part of our legal claim).
Additionally, many anonymous negative reviews stem from misunderstandings or malice. Particularly in medical contexts, the correct treatment may differ from patients’ expectations, and taking the appropriate response does not always result in positive evaluations. By raising societal awareness of the problems with anonymous reviews of medical institutions, our aim is to provide valuable insights that aid patients in making informed decisions when selecting medical facilities.
On April 18, 2024, we filed a complaint with the Tokyo District Court. The complaint that was filed has been made public. There are 63 plaintiffs in total. The legal team comprises six attorneys.
【Group Profile】
Office of Google Review Victims Association
Toda Sogo Law Office
3F, Yamasho Building, 2-10-1, Honcho, Toda City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
TEL：+81-50-1751-1328
Legal advisor: Nakazawa Yuichi
Signature site: https://voice.charity/events/489