"Salty" Food Blogger Jailed for Giving Restaurant a Bad Review

Flare · 9 Jul 2011 at 09:24

The Taipei Times reports that the Taiwanese blogger, whose surname is Liu, was sentenced on Tuesday to 30 days in jail and two years of probation for her negative review of a Taichung beef noodle restaurant. She has also been ordered to pay NT$200,000 (about $7000 US) in compensation to the restaurant.

http://www.delish.com/food/recalls-reviews/food-blogger-jailed-for-bad-review

WHAT?! :eek:

That is just completely ridiculous! How can any police force/court deem that as 'crime' that is worthy of such a punishment?! Perhaps a bit of bribery involved?

What do you lot make of this?

Flare

Pestilence · 9 Jul 2011 at 18:19

What the hell? Absolutely shocking, tbh.

Unless, of course, the place is immaculate and there are no cockroaches etc.

Jokester · 9 Jul 2011 at 18:24

Pestilence said:
What the hell? Absolutely shocking, tbh.

Unless, of course, the place is immaculate and there are no cockroaches etc.

Certainly seems this is more an issue of libel than just a bad review, so presumably the cockroaches comment was what done it.

Gilly · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:03

Defamation of character can go a long way. Loss of earnings for a restuarant (wrongly) accused of having cockroaches could result in huge losses.

Prison possibly harsh, but still...

bledd · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:06

Gilly said:
Prison possibly harsh, but still...

Possibly!

Glaucus · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:17

Different country with different laws. Don't lie and lose people money.

I really don't see the problem and I don't see it as harsh. The money people can lose and the stress of it, is not to be underestimated.

Edit - oh wait ****roachs was a statement of fact and charge was for the salty bit. Yeah thet does sound very harsh indeed.

JHeaton · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:26

Flare said:
WHAT?! That is just completely ridiculous! How can any police force/court deem that as 'crime' that is worthy of such a punishment?! Perhaps a bit of bribery involved?

Edit: Were there actually any cockroaches? It seemed a bit confusing. :/

It claims afterwards that health officials found it to be clean. o.o

Glaucus · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:28

JHeaton said:
Were there actually any ****roaches? It seemed a bit confusing. :/

That's what I thought, but the courts said that bit and probably all of it was fact. But one dish does not make a menu.

JHeaton · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:33

AcidHell2 said:
That's what I thought, but the courts said that bit and probably all of it was fact. But one dish does not make a menu.

It's just confusing because of this:

After visiting the restaurant, health officials did not find Liu's description of the restaurant as unsanitary to be accurate.

Glaucus · 12 Jul 2011 at 11:34

could have cleaned up after the reports. The court bit Is the important bit IMO.

Edit - oh wait that wasn't the courts that was another newspaper.
Yep very confusing and badly written article.

After being questioned about the review by regular customers, the eatery's owner, surname Yang, filed charges against the blogger for defamation. The Taichung branch of Taiwan's High Court found that while Liu's criticism of the ****roaches was, according to the Taipei Times "narration of facts, not intentional slander," her characterization of the restaurant's food as too salty based on a single dish was unfair. After visiting the restaurant, health officials did not find Liu's description of the restaurant as unsanitary to be accurate.

Doesn't really say what the court found.

In which case, I move back to the original stance of not harsh and obey the laws.

Gilly · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:44

bledd. said:
Possibly!

Yeah

That article could have resulted in lost income, and possibly even the closure of the restaurant.

OK it wouldn't result in a jail term here, but we're not talking about here

bledd · 12 Jul 2011 at 14:11

She got jail for trolling

SteveOBHave · 12 Jul 2011 at 14:21

I thought I'd just comment so I could say ****roaches... hehe ****roaches...

Seems a bit on the harsh side - surely a projected fine of the restaurants losses in relation to the review would be more appropriate, prison seems overkill...