Justine is a content writer at Sprintlaw. She has experience in civil law and human rights law with a double degree in law and media production. Justine has an interest in intellectual property and employment law.
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Online reviews can make or break a small business in New Zealand. They’re often the first thing a customer sees when they Google you, scroll your socials, or compare you with a competitor.
So when a review is unfair, misleading, or just plain nasty, it’s normal to wonder: can I delete it? And if you can’t, can you edit it (or ask someone else to)?
This guide is updated for today’s online environment (including the way platforms and regulators are treating digital marketing and consumer trust), and we’ll break down what’s generally legal, what can cross the line, and the practical steps you can take to protect your brand without creating a bigger legal problem.
Because the goal isn’t just to “win” a review dispute - it’s to keep your reputation strong and keep your business legally protected from day one.
Can You Legally Delete Or Change Online Reviews In New Zealand?
The frustrating answer is: it depends on where the review is posted and what control you have over it.
In many cases, you can’t directly delete or change a customer’s review on third-party platforms (like Google Reviews, Facebook, Trustpilot, or Tripadvisor) because the review content belongs to the user and sits on the platform’s system.
But there are a few different situations people mean when they say “delete” or “change” reviews:
- Removing a review you control (for example, a testimonial displayed on your website that you copied from an email or DM).
- Asking the platform to remove a review (for example, because it breaches platform rules, is fake, or is abusive).
- Editing how reviews appear (for example, moderating comments on your own Facebook page or hiding certain comments).
- Editing someone else’s review (generally not something you can legitimately do, unless the reviewer edits it themselves).
Deleting a review that appears on your own channels (such as a review embedded on your website) is usually lawful - but you should be careful about how you present the overall picture to customers. If you only display positive reviews in a way that creates a misleading impression, you can create risk under consumer law (more on that below).
Changing a review (meaning altering the words so it looks like the customer said something else) is where businesses can get into serious trouble. Even if your intention is “just to fix spelling” or “remove something offensive”, editing a review and presenting it as the customer’s original words can be misleading.
And as a practical matter, most third-party platforms don’t allow businesses to edit user reviews anyway.
When Can Deleting Or Editing Reviews Become A Legal Problem?
Most of the legal risk doesn’t come from the act of removing a negative review on your own website.
The bigger risk comes from misleading conduct, fake review practices, or improper pressure on customers - especially when reviews are being used as marketing.
Misleading Conduct And The Fair Trading Act 1986
In New Zealand, the Fair Trading Act 1986 is one of the key laws to keep in mind. It broadly prohibits businesses from engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct, or conduct likely to mislead or deceive.
Online reviews can fall into this because they’re often used to influence buying decisions.
Examples of risky conduct include:
- Editing a customer review (even slightly) and presenting it as their authentic, original statement.
- Cherry-picking reviews in a way that creates an overall false impression (for example, “we have 100% 5-star satisfaction” when that’s not true, or hiding the fact that many customers had a different experience).
- Publishing “testimonials” that aren’t real or are written by staff, friends, or paid reviewers without disclosure.
- Misrepresenting the source of a review (for example, implying it came from an independent platform when it didn’t).
Even if you didn’t mean to mislead anyone, consumer law can still bite if what you’re doing is likely to mislead an ordinary customer.
Fake Reviews, Incentivised Reviews, And Undisclosed Relationships
It’s not automatically illegal to ask customers for reviews, and it’s not automatically illegal to offer an incentive (like a discount code) - but it becomes risky when:
- the review is not genuine (for example, written by someone who didn’t actually buy from you);
- the review is written in exchange for something and the incentive is not disclosed (this can contribute to a misleading overall impression);
- you pressure customers to leave a positive review or imply they’ll get better service if they do.
If you’re running online promotions, giveaways, or loyalty incentives, make sure your rules are clear and consistent with your overall customer-facing terms. It often helps to have properly drafted Terms & Conditions so your marketing activities and customer expectations are aligned.
Defamation And “Review Wars”
Sometimes a negative review isn’t just annoying - it’s potentially defamatory (for example, it alleges criminal conduct, dishonesty, or serious professional failings without a proper basis).
Defamation is complex and very fact-specific. But in practical terms:
- You can’t “fix” defamation risk by editing the review yourself (that can make things worse).
- Public arguments can escalate a dispute and create evidence that gets used later.
- A measured response and a structured takedown request is often the safer first step.
If you think a review is seriously damaging and untrue, it’s worth getting legal advice early so you don’t accidentally inflame the situation.
Privacy Risks: Sharing Customer Details In Your Reply
When you reply to a review, it’s tempting to “set the record straight” by listing booking details, invoices, messages, or personal history.
This is where businesses can accidentally breach the Privacy Act 2020.
Even if the reviewer is being unfair, you still need to be careful about disclosing personal information in a public forum. A good Privacy Policy (and staff training to match it) can help you handle complaints and reviews in a way that protects customer data and reduces risk.
What About Removing Reviews On Google, Facebook, Or Other Platforms?
If the review is on a platform you don’t control, you generally can’t delete it yourself - but you can often request removal if it breaches the platform’s rules.
Common reasons platforms may remove reviews include:
- Spam or fake content (for example, a review from someone who was never a customer).
- Hate speech, threats, harassment, or abusive language.
- Off-topic reviews (for example, political rants unrelated to your service).
- Conflict of interest (for example, reviews posted by competitors, ex-staff, or someone with a personal vendetta).
- Privacy breaches (for example, someone posting private details about a staff member).
Each platform has its own systems and thresholds, and removals aren’t guaranteed. But a clear, evidence-based report usually has a better chance than an emotional complaint.
A Practical “Takedown Request” Checklist
If you’re reporting a review, it helps to document the issue properly first. For example:
- Take screenshots of the review (in case it changes later).
- Record the date, the reviewer name/handle, and the URL.
- Note why you believe it breaches platform rules (keep it factual).
- Gather any supporting documents (booking records, order numbers, message history) - but don’t post these publicly.
If the platform refuses to remove the review and it’s causing real harm, you may need tailored legal advice about your options.
What If The Reviews Are On Your Own Website Or Social Media Page?
If you host reviews on your own website, your own review widget, or your own social media posts, you often have more control.
That said, having the ability to delete comments doesn’t mean it’s always risk-free to do so. The key is: don’t use moderation to mislead customers.
Moderation Is Usually Fine (If You’re Transparent And Consistent)
It’s generally reasonable to remove content that is:
- abusive, harassing, or threatening
- discriminatory or hateful
- spam
- clearly unrelated to your business
- includes private personal information (for example, a staff member’s phone number)
A simple way to manage this is to set rules for what you’ll remove and what you’ll keep, and apply them consistently. Many businesses do this through website rules and community standards.
For example, if you run a community page or allow public comments, it can help to have Website Terms Of Use that explain how your platform works and what content you can remove.
Be Careful If You “Curate” Testimonials
Plenty of businesses display selected testimonials on their website - that’s normal marketing.
The risk comes when the way you present testimonials is likely to mislead customers, such as:
- editing the substance of a testimonial (not just shortening it with clear ellipses or formatting)
- presenting testimonials as independent platform reviews when they’re not
- displaying a star-rating average that doesn’t reflect real data
If you’re going to quote a customer, the safer approach is to:
- get consent (especially if the testimonial contains identifiable information), and
- keep the wording true to what they actually said.
How Should You Handle Negative Reviews Without Creating More Risk?
Most of the time, the best “legal” strategy is also the best business strategy: respond calmly, stick to facts, and show potential customers you’re reasonable.
If you’re dealing with a particularly messy situation, it’s also worth reading how to handle negative online reviews without escalating things.
A Simple Response Framework You Can Use
Here’s a practical structure many businesses use:
- Acknowledge the customer’s experience (without admitting something you’re not sure is true).
- Apologise for the frustration (apologies aren’t always admissions of legal liability, but wording matters).
- Offer a next step (invite them to contact you privately to resolve it).
- Keep it short and avoid arguing point-by-point in public.
If the complaint is about refunds, delays, faults, or “not as described” services, keep in mind that your consumer law obligations may be relevant, including under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (for consumer transactions) and the Fair Trading Act 1986 (for truthful marketing and representations).
Don’t Threaten Customers (Even If You Think They’re Wrong)
Threatening legal action in a public reply can backfire quickly. It can also look like intimidation and may encourage the reviewer to dig in further or share screenshots elsewhere.
Where a review is truly false and harmful, it’s often better to:
- attempt a calm, private resolution first, and
- consider a formal legal approach if needed (with advice).
Train Your Team Before A Review Crisis Happens
One overlooked issue is that reviews are often handled by whoever has the Instagram login that day.
That’s risky.
It’s much safer to have a simple internal process, including:
- who is allowed to respond publicly
- what tone to use
- what information must never be shared (especially personal info)
- when to escalate to management or legal support
If employees are posting about your business (or responding to customers from personal accounts), an employee social media use approach can prevent misunderstandings and help keep your public messaging consistent.
It can also be useful to document expectations and risks around who can speak publicly for the business in a Conflict Of Interest Policy, especially where staff might have side-hustles, industry connections, or other relationships that create review-related issues.
Key Takeaways
- It’s not automatically illegal to remove reviews you host on your own platforms, but it can become legally risky if you edit or curate reviews in a way that misleads customers.
- Editing a customer review and presenting it as their original words can expose your business to misleading conduct risk under the Fair Trading Act 1986, even if your intentions were “harmless”.
- You usually can’t delete reviews on third-party platforms (like Google), but you may be able to request removal where the review breaches platform rules (fake reviews, abuse, privacy breaches, conflicts of interest).
- Be careful when replying to reviews - disclosing customer details publicly can create privacy risk under the Privacy Act 2020, even if the reviewer is being unreasonable.
- Have a clear moderation and response process so staff know what to do (and what not to do) before a reputation issue escalates.
- Strong website and customer-facing documentation (like Website Terms Of Use and consistent Terms & Conditions) helps set expectations and reduces disputes about what’s “fair”.
If you’d like help setting up the right approach to online reviews, customer complaints, privacy, or reputation risk, you can reach us at 0800 002 184 or team@sprintlaw.co.nz for a free, no-obligations chat.
Justine Wulegal consultant
