Are we going to see plenty of bootlicking in future reviews? I can't imagine myself making up good things to say about the current crop of Chinese cars.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070615/1/498sh.html(AFP) Australian food critics were Friday mulling whether they could ever write a bad review again after the High Court ruled that an unfavourable appraisal of a Sydney restaurant was defamatory.
Coco Roco closed within months of the review and its owners, who had spent 3 million dollars (2.5 million US) refitting its waterside premises, claimed they lost 2,700 customers immediately after it was published.
In a 6-1 decision released on Thursday, the High Court found that the review was an attack on the restaurant as a business. Further hearings will now be held for the newspaper to present it's defence and for the court to determine what, if any, damages are applicable.
Critics say the decision could lead to a stifling of true reviews of not just restaurants, but theatre, concerts and art.
(Full story in the link)