As a business owner in Israel, your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. Defamation—called “Lashon Hara” in Hebrew—can seriously damage your good name, your company and your income. That’s why it’s important to know both how to protect yourself from defamation and how to avoid being accused of committing it yourself.
What is defamation?
Defamation is any published statement—whether online or offline—that could harm someone’s reputation, dignity or livelihood. It applies to both individuals and organizations. If you post or share something that a reasonable person might see as humiliating, insulting or damaging to someone or their business, you could be entering legal territory—even if you didn’t mean harm or thought it was just your opinion.
What if someone defames you or your business?
If false or damaging statements are published about you or your business, you can take legal action. You don’t need to prove actual financial loss to sue. As of 2023, courts can award up to 80,000 shekels per defamatory post—and up to 160,000 shekels if it was done with intent to hurt. The court can also order the removal of the content and require a public correction.
Small claims court is also an option, with a maximum compensation of about 38,900 shekels (as of January 2025). However, final compensation is often less than what’s claimed. In more extreme cases, you can even file a criminal complaint, though that’s a more complex process and usually requires a lawyer.
How can you avoid getting sued for defamation?
Here’s what you, your team and your social media manager need to keep in mind:
- Stick to facts: Don’t publish or share rumors, personal attacks or unverified claims about competitors, customers, employees or anyone else.
- Avoid personal insults: Criticizing service is one thing. Insulting someone’s character, background or appearance is another—and that can cross the line. In most cases, it’s better to keep any criticism to oral discussions or private messages instead of public discourse.
- Think before posting: On social media, even reposting or sharing defamatory content can make you legally responsible.
- Intent doesn’t matter: You might think you’re joking or just venting—but if a reasonable person could see the statement as harmful, you could still get sued.
- Reviews and feedback: If you’re leaving a negative review of another business, stick to your own experience and avoid exaggeration or personal slams. Think twice (and once more) before leaving a negative review. It’s probably better not to leave any review at all, just to be safe.
In the digital age, words spread fast
A single post, message or review can be seen by thousands in minutes. And once it’s out there, it’s hard to erase. Whether you’re writing a public update, replying to a comment or sharing a screenshot—every word matters. Even deleting a post later doesn’t always undo the damage or the legal risk.
Final tip
If you think you’ve been defamed—or you’re unsure whether something you’re about to post could cross the line—talk to a lawyer. A quick consultation now could save you a serious headache later.
