Chicago Woman’s Tweet Provokes Lawsuit By Apartment Management Firm
What looks like the first defamation suit over a Twitter message, or tweet, is occurring over you guessed it, real estate. Horizon Group Management is suing Amanda Bonnen over her tweet concerning mold in an apartment for $50,000.
While this is not surprising, it seems that real estate is rife with opportunities for companies suing others over defamation online, this is the first time I have seen it occur about Twitter.
People using Twitter tend to be very conversational and free with what they say. The idea of a tweet being grounds for a lawsuit is chilling, but it is also not very smart for Horizon to be doing so.
What was a fairly anonymous statement by one person is now going to reverberate throughout the media and get exposure far beyond what the management company ever thought. The PR fallout will surprise the company and odds are the overzealous attorney who filed the lawsuit.
Amanda Bonnen has closed her Twitter account and the post is gone, which probably is all Horizon wanted, but now that the suit is public, the post will continue to live.
According to the suit filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court Bonnen wrote an update that said “Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it’s okay.”
Because Bonnen’s Twitter account is set to “public,” everyone following on Twitter can view the defamatory statement, the suit said.
Bonnen was living at an apartment managed by Horizon Group Management at 4242 N. Sheridan Rd.
Horizon Group Management has been greatly injured in its reputation as a landlord in Chicago because of Bonnen’s Tweet, the suit said.
The suit seeks an excess of $50,000 in damages. cbs2chicago.com.
Update: Check out this quote by a principal at Horizon Realty:
Jeffrey Michael, whose family has run Horizon for more than 25 years, said: “The statements are obviously false, and it’s our intention to prove that.”
He said that while she moved out recently, the company never had a conversation about the post and never asked her to take it down.
“We’re a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization,” he said, noting that the company manages 1,500 apartments in Chicago and has a good reputation it wants to preserve. Via the Sun Times.
That will give you some warm fuzzy moments when deciding upon a landlord.
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Comment by Invest in Real Estate on 28 July 2009:
Real estate investing is nothing new; it has long held money-making potential for those who understand the process and are committed to putting in the time. But just like anything else that has the potential for making people money.
Comment by M. on 28 July 2009:
Wow, that “sue first, ask questions later” comment did more to damage their reputation in my mind than did the accusations of mold. Maybe that’s just me, but I know I’ll be avoiding anything run by them when I start looking for my new place.
Comment by Jonathan Benya on 28 July 2009:
If it’s defamation, she should have kept her mouth shut, but at the same time, how is it worth this company’s time to file suit over it?? Did they really want the press that goes along with a “sue first” sort of comment?
Comment by M Realty on 28 July 2009:
Wow. As if the “sue first and ask questions later policy” is not going to harm their reputation? I really think that some common sense needs to be applied to the law and this case should be thrown out (and any lawyers fees sent to Horizon Realty for bringing up such a frivolous lawsuit). They should be ashamed of themselves. Good luck lady, I really hope the judge sees things the same way I do.
-Tyler
Comment by Bev on 29 July 2009:
Wow, so I guess Jeffrey Michael will sue me if I say he’s a “twit” to make a comment about “sue first ask questions later”. Pls. Judge, throw this case right back at the ‘nutty’ attorney who filed it.
Comment by Kat on 29 July 2009:
This was actually a countersuit… I think we should have done a tiny bit of actual research before we judge…. http://www.horizonrealtygroup.com/UserFiles/file/PressRelease.pdf
Comment by Tom Royce on 29 July 2009:
Kat
The post was written before the press release was put out there. Additionally this was a huge PR nightmare. The initial news articles about the story never mentioned that it was a countersuit, and that the smug sue first and ask questions later was as big a public relations mistake as I have come across in years.
The company misplayed this story and is now in cya mode. Even if they are in the right legally, making it go away and apologizing would be the best tactic now. The damage to the brand has already occurred.
For more see http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/horizon-realty-the-aftermath-how-social-media-can-crush-a-reputation/2666
Comment by Arcadian on 29 July 2009:
Well If she was so sick of living in a MOld ridden apt, she should have complain to BBB or Housing authority. I hope it true though, If not i hope she gets whats coming to her. For defamatory i mean if the company really gotten hurt by this. which i doubt, but what ever happened to freedom of speech, or expression. just because i said it doesnt mean it true. But ah well, its our nature to sue first ask what happened later.
Comment by Arcadian on 29 July 2009:
one last thing, in my days “Twit” would be someone who doesnt know whatthey are talkig about, now we have twitter, I find it quite ironic though, i dont even use it, when i heard of it, i was ROFL all they way home, when i first heard of it. I guess people are TWITS!!