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    Violin Shop Owner Suing Anonymous Critic

    (Image Credit: ABC News)

    A symphony of negative comments left on review sites about a Chicago violin store were likely all left by one person, and now the store's owner wants to unmask the anonymous critic and also make him or her pay.

    The person used a handful of pseudonyms, including TRUTHETELLER1790, TRUTH TELLER and TRUTH T to review Guadagnini Violin. All negative reviews using these various nicknames were traced back to the same IP address.

    One review on Yelp asked if anyone wanted "to buy a gold mounted tortoise shell bow for $4,500 that's actually worth $800 and made of gold-colored metal and faux plastic shell," the Associated Press reported. If so, the the review said, "then please go to this shop!"  That review and other negative posts have since been deleted.

    James Branit, a lawyer for the shop's owner Cunyee Lu, said the reviews crossed the line into falsehoods,  and therefore are not protected speech.

    "[The reviews] contain false statements of fact that slandered the shop and Mr. Lu by saying he engaged in improper business actions," Branit told ABCNews.com. "I believe there is a possibility it is a competitor [who posted the reviews]."

    But before there can be dueling violins in a Cook County, Illinois courtroom, Branit still has to unmask the anonymous critic.

    Under an Illinois law, Branit was able to obtain the IP address from Yelp through the courts, he said. From there he traced it to the cable provider RCN.

    "Here's the problem," Branit said,  "Sometimes the IP addresses are IP routers, such as if a person connected in a coffee shop. I don't know yet whether we'll be able to identify them."

    Branit said his client is asking for damages "in excess of $50,000?.

    "Reviews can be a good thing if they are honest and done by actual individuals who identify themselves," he said.

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    11 comments

    • tirpider  •  4 mths ago
      Does anyone actualy trust online reviews anyway?
    • trixie  •  Grand Junction, Colorado  •  4 mths ago
      If he does like a buddy of mine he bought a used laptop at a garage sale and only logs in at free wifi sites so good luck to anybody trying to track him.
      • BN 4 mths ago
        If someone really wanted to catch him, they can.
      • trixie 3 mths ago
        Only if they're tracking his icq but they would have to know when and where he was gonna use it.
    • expletive_xom  •  Surfside, California  •  4 mths ago
      awww...right now i am "Playing the world's saddest song on the world's smallest violin".
    • arthur of michigan  •  Cascade Twp, Michigan  •  4 mths ago
      Maybe the owner of the violin shop did it himself. Free publicity on Yahoo.
    • Prdlib  •  4 mths ago
      it's internet, duh! It's faceless, therefore buyer beware. Yup, publicity stunt.
    • Ray  •  4 mths ago
      Who buys a violin from storefront retail anyway?
    • Kanna-Chan  •  Jackson, Tennessee  •  4 mths ago
      Stop selling junk and maybe people won't be leaving bad reviews.
    • robert  •  Birmingham, Alabama  •  4 mths ago
      Wow!! He didn't need to "bow" up on him.
    • Ron  •  Moscow, Russia  •  4 mths ago
      Hey is yuo want to buy a bird feeder for 20 bucks but worth 3 go to lowes stores. They also are painted with lead paint. Says so right on the box after you get thu installing it. Most chinese junk are painted wioth lead paint. Those kids toys, baby teething rings? All from china and full of stuff yuo don;'t need in a baby's mouth. But it's not just lowes it's all of the stores selling this chinese junk. So sue me . I can prove it.
      • TheChas 4 mths ago
        Yrou spechllfck not wroingk?
      • User5 4 mths ago
        Learn how to spell. It is not hard to do. Thanks!
      • Ron 3 mths ago
        @User5; Ok another little internet cop. Listen one more time charley. It's not your real job . Ok. Drink some warm milk or something and take nap. You'll be ok in the morning. Maybe.
    • TheChas  •  4 mths ago
      Maybe he is a Chinese guy selling knockoff stuff. He could be a member of the Chinese govt trying to bring down our economy 1 fake bow at a time. Idiots.
    • Bill  •  4 mths ago
      I don't blame the shop owner. The latest missuse of the internet.
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