Facts:
Running a small online business shouldn’t come at the cost of personal safety, but for one young entrepreneur, a series of disturbing encounters turned her life upside down.
Our client is a young woman who runs a modest online business through Facebook and Instagram. With a few thousand followers, she was steadily growing her customer base. But with increased visibility came an unexpected and deeply troubling experience.
A so-called “customer” began contacting her under the pretense of buying products but his true intentions quickly became clear.
What started as casual inquiries turned into relentless spam calls, constant messaging at odd hours, and inappropriate comments on her business posts. Things escalated quickly. The individual began posting defamatory content online, falsely branding our client as a liar and even calling her a prostitute. None of this was true. It was deliberate, malicious, and deeply damaging.
Our client was devastated. As a young woman trying to build a name for herself, this abuse caused real emotional distress. She cried. She withdrew from her usual routines. She began doubting herself and her business. But eventually, she made a brave choice: to fight back.
We acted for her by initiating legal action against the perpetrator, not just for defamation, but also for harassment and sexual harassment. This was never just about social media posts. It was a sustained, targeted attack meant to humiliate and intimidate.
The Court recognised the seriousness of the conduct and the emotional harm suffered by our client. In the end, the Court awarded her RM20,000 in damages.
This case is a reminder that online harassment is real, and that victims are not powerless. You have the right to be safe, to be respected, and to defend your reputation. No one should be allowed to weaponise social media to harass or shame others.
To our client, thank you for standing up. And to others out there facing the same, know that you’re not alone, and there is legal recourse.
