How do I get a defamatory post removed from a website?
Short answer
Send the website operator a notice of complaint under the Defamation Act 2013. They then have 48 hours to remove the content or pass your notice to the poster, who has five days to respond. If the poster stays silent or cannot be identified, the operator must remove it.
The Defamation Act 2013 and the Defamation (Operators of Websites) Regulations 2013 give you a takedown route that does not require going to court — and it works because operators lose their statutory protection from liability if they ignore it.
The notice of complaint procedure
- You send the operator a notice of complaint identifying the statement, explaining why it is defamatory of you, and asking for removal.
- Within 48 hours the operator must either take the content down or pass your notice to whoever posted it and ask them to respond.
- The poster has five days to reply. If they do not respond, or cannot be identified, the operator must remove the content to keep its protection.
- If the poster contests your complaint, the operator need not remove anything and your route is against the poster directly.
The procedure bites hardest on UK-hosted websites. Major US platforms are not bound by the Regulations in the same way, though they will often act on a formal legal request — and their own reporting tools should be your first stop there.
Check the statement really is defamatory first
Since 2013 a statement is only defamatory if it is false and has caused or is likely to cause serious harm to your reputation — real-world consequences such as lost work or social ostracism, not hurt feelings. Opinion is protected: "I thought the food was terrible" is honest opinion, while "the chef deliberately used stale ingredients" is a statement of fact that could be actionable if untrue and seriously harmful. Truth is a complete defence, as are honest opinion, publication on a matter of public interest, and privilege.
Court should be a last resort. Defamation claims go to the High Court, not the small claims track, and contested costs frequently exceed £100,000 — disproportionate for most individuals and small businesses. The one-year limitation period from the date of publication is short, though, so do not drift. In practice a formal Letter Before Action prompts many publishers to remove content without proceedings, and mediation through CEDR is another option. If the poster is anonymous and you do need to sue, you can apply for a Norwich Pharmacal Order compelling the platform or ISP to disclose their identity — at extra cost and delay.
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