Horizon Realty Group Sues Woman Over Single Tweet on Twitter
"@JessB123 You should come over anyway. Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon really thinks it's okay"
The lawsuit, which was filed at the Cook County court in Illinois today, is the first case claiming libel due to defaming statements made on twitter. According to Chicago Bar-tender, the complaint claims that Bonnen "maliciously and wrongfully published the false and defamatory Tweet on Twitter, thereby allowing the Tweet to be distributed throughout the world."
Bonnen's Twitter account, "abonnen," has since been deactivated, and she has yet to make any statements regarding the matter to the press.
As numerous blog posts have pointed out regarding the matter, many companies have come to embrace Twitter as an opportunity to keep a pulse on the public perception of their brand image. When a Twitter user makes a complaint or disparaging remark regarding a company or product, it gives the company an opportunity to address the complaint in a public forum and potentially sway the user's opinion back to the positive side. I've personally seen this dynamic at work through the corporate twitter accounts of a wide variety of businesses, ranging from hotel chains to liquor brands to Associated Content itself. In this case, Horizon Group Management chose to take a different approach by filing litigation against the Twitter user.
"We're a 'sue first, ask questions later' sort of organization," said Jeffrey Michael of Horizon Group Management is statement regarding the matter that appears in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Horizon Management Group is a major apartment leasing and property management company that manages around 1500 apartments in the Chicago area. According to their website, the company "understands the importance of providing a quality living environment and the care and attention to detail that is required by [their] tenants." More information regarding the company can be found by visiting their website at horizonrealtygroup.com.
Bonnen's tweet was in reference to her home at 4242 N. Sheridan in Chicago, Illinois. The building is called Buena Terrace Apartments and was once an upscale hotel that has redeveloped into a 106 unit apartment community. Bonnen has since moved out of the building and was not contacted by Horizon regarding the tweet, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
A .pdf of the official claim filed at the court can be found in full here.
****UPDATE***
Two sides to every story:
Horizon Realty has released a press release on their website apologizing for the "tongue in cheek" remarks reported earlier today in the press. The release goes on to explain that the matter is more nuanced than initially reported, including official complaints and a law suit that Bonnen had leveled against Horizon. The full press release can be found here.
Sources:
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-bar-tender/Twitter%20lawsuit.pdf
http://www.rent.com/rentals/illinois/chicago-and-vicinity/chicago/buena-park/buena-terrace-apartments/480064/
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1688511,cst-nws-twitter28.article
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-bar-tender/2009/07/exhibit-a-will-one-chicago-womans-tweet-cost-her-50000.html
http://www.horizonrealtygroup.com/
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/07/28/moldy-tweet-gets-tenant-sued-in-chicago/
Published by Logan McCall
Full time professional writer with experience delivering top quality web and magazine content as well as PR releases. Got started here on AC. View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentI don't think there is a need to worry about being sued for calling the Horizon management people idiots, since it is demonstrably true.
Major lesson, a big guy can never win a fight with a little guy. If he beats the little guy, he's a bully, if he loses to the little guy, he's a wimp.
Great article, Todd. I liked the fact that you gave the alternate viewpoint as well. Well done!
Your articles are very professional and well written.
Apparently, it's a requirement to have positive thoughts. Very interesting article.
me talk pretty one day
Um, sorry, thanks for the article, but who let the Dyslexic Reporter post something without putting it through Spell Check first?
"Bonnen's Twitter account, "abonnen," has sense been deactivated,..." Just one of a few unsightly errors.
Good luck to Ms. Bonnen. Horizon is garbage.
Everyone better be careful on twitter!
No no Bethany and Writestuff you are protected under the first amendment to publicly complain about companies. You might lose a lawsuit if what you say is a provable lie, and it is provable that it damaged the other party. That is very hard to do and for very good reason. Companies and organizations should never be allowed to get away with using a lawsuit to harass and silence critics. They might be hoping she would settle, but if it went to a court it would be thrown out instantly unless the judge was really crooked. Don't let this BS lawsuit have a chilling effect on free speech!
I wonder if Horizon Realty will now sue the thousands of people on Twitter who are calling them idiots. What a way to mishandle a problem, turning a minor complaint into a PR disaster.
Poor girl, sounds like she thought she was being jerked around by the management company, and now they're really sticking it to her. It's so important to watch what you say, especially when you're saying where anyone can discover and read it!!