A group of Japanese doctors has filed a civil lawsuit against Google, claiming the search giant has allowed derogatory and untrue comments to be posted about them on Google Maps. They are seeking damages of 1.4 million yen ($9,400) for 63 medical professionals. Google responded by stating that they are working around the clock to remove false information from their platform, using a combination of human and technological resources to delete fraudulent reviews. The lawsuit argues that these negative reviews, which can be written out of spite, are damaging to the reputations of the medical professionals and are difficult to refute once they gain traction.
The doctors behind the lawsuit believe that online comments about hospitals can influence people’s decisions about their healthcare, even if the information is inaccurate. They argue that these comments can be detrimental to the healthcare sector in Japan, which has a widespread and affordable healthcare system. While class actions are relatively rare in Japan, Google has faced similar lawsuits in other countries for issues such as misleading advertising and privacy violations. Earlier this month, Google agreed to purge billions of records containing personal information collected from over 136 million people in the U.S. through its Chrome web browser, as part of a settlement in a U.S. lawsuit accusing them of illegal surveillance.
The lawsuit in Japan is not just about seeking financial compensation, as the requested damages are symbolic at about 23,000 yen ($150) per plaintiff. The legal team representing the medical professionals aims to highlight the potential dangers of Google’s technology, particularly when it comes to the spread of false information that can impact people’s lives. This case sheds light on the responsibility of platforms like Google to monitor and regulate the content shared on their platforms, especially when it can have real-world consequences for individuals and businesses. The outcome of this lawsuit could have implications not just for Google in Japan, but for how tech companies are held accountable for the information they host online.
