Better Business Bureau's Right to Report

BBB offers free Business Profiles on businesses that include background, licensing, consumer experience and other information such as governmental actions that are known to BBB. These profiles are provided for both BBB Accredited and non-Accredited Businesses.

As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business.

BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information in BBB Business Profiles are believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy.

BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time.

In the United States, BBB’s right to develop and issue Business Profiles is protected by the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Courts have held specifically that BBBs have the right to make fair comment to the public on commercial enterprises, and that BBBs have a "qualified privilege" to do so.

Qualified privilege means that a BBB will not be liable for defamation by reporting incorrectly about a company unless it can be shown that the BBB knew what it was reporting was false.

The following decisions have specifically recognized a qualified privilege for Better Business Bureau reports: Patio World v. Better Business Bureau, Inc., 538 N.E. 2d 1098 (Ohio App. 1989); Audition Division, Ltd. v. Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Chicago, Inc., 458 N.E. 2d 115 (Ill. App. 1983); Economy Carpet Manufacturers and Distributors, Inc. v. Better Business Bureau, Inc. 361 So. 2d 234 (La. App. 1st Cir. 1978), cert. denied 440 U.S. 915 (1979); and Antwerp Diamond Exchange of America, Inc. v. Better Business Bureau of Maricopa County, Inc., 637 P. 2d 733 (Az. 1981)

BBBs are not allowed, under BBB international policies, to delete BBB Business Profiles. Consumers have the right to issue a complaint; and, the BBB system has been given the right to assist in helping both parties to come together to resolve any differences.

BBB can not remove a complaint if the complaint meets our National Complaint Acceptance Guidelines.

Questions about BBB International policy on complaints should be directed to the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

BBB Customer Reviews allow customers to post stars (1-5) reviews about marketplace experiences with businesses, brands and charities.

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The US Congress passed the Communications Decency Act in 1996. The Act contains the following language under the heading “Protection for Good Samaritan blocking and screening of offensive material":

“No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”

In other words, online intermediaries that host or re-publish speech are protected against a range of laws that might otherwise be used to hold them legally responsible for what others say and do. Protected intermediaries include any online service that publishes third party content. Through these provisions, Congress granted interactive services immunity from tort liability so long as the information is provided by a third party.