What Businesses Can Do When Facing Defamatory Publications, Online Threats and Digital Harassment

Introduction 

Defamatory online publications, coordinated social media campaigns and digital harassment can escalate rapidly, placing businesses under significant reputational, operational and regulatory pressure. In the digital environment, narratives form quickly, spread widely and are often difficult to reverse once entrenched. 

Kenyan businesses, particularly those operating in sectors where trust, compliance and reputation are critical, are increasingly exposed to these risks. Experience shows that delayed, fragmented or reactive responses frequently compound harm, while early, structured and legally grounded intervention significantly improves outcomes. 

This Regulatory Alert sets out practical, legally sound steps that businesses can take when confronted with defamatory or harmful online conduct, drawing on Kenyan law and international best practice. 

1. Act immediately to preserve digital evidence 

Digital content is volatile and may be altered, deleted or archived without notice, often before legal action can be commenced. Evidence preservation is therefore the first and most critical response. 

Businesses should promptly preserve: 

• Screenshots of articles, posts and comments, together with available metadata (including IP addresses and device identifiers), where technically possible; 

• URLs, usernames, timestamps and publication dates; 

• Engagement metrics such as shares, reactions and comments; 

• Copies of private messages or communications that have been unlawfully published. 

Preserved evidence forms the foundation for injunctive relief, takedown orders, regulatory complaints and damages claims. Without it, enforcement options may be materially weakened. 

2. Avoid public engagement and escalation 

Public rebuttals, emotional responses or direct engagement on social media often intensify reputational harm. Such engagement may unintentionally legitimize false narratives, invite further amplification or undermine later legal proceedings. 

As a matter of strategy, businesses should: 

• Refrain from responding publicly to defamatory content; 

• Avoid informal or ad hoc explanations by staff or management; 

• Centralize all communications internally; and 

• Channel all responses through legal counsel. 

A disciplined communications approach preserves credibility and strengthens the effectiveness of subsequent legal action. 

3. Engage legal counsel early 

Early legal engagement enables businesses to move from reaction to control. Counsel can assess whether publications meet the threshold for defamation per se, identify additional causes of action such as tortious interference, cybercrime or data protection breaches and determine the most effective mix of civil, regulatory and criminal remedies. 

Early advice also helps businesses manage cross-border risks, platform-related complexities, and regulatory exposure. In many cases, delay materially reduces the likelihood of securing urgent relief. 

4. Issue formal demand and cease-and-desist notices 

Well-structured demand and cease-and-desist notices remain a critical tool. When issued promptly and through counsel, such notices: 

• Place publishers and authors on formal notice of falsity and unlawfulness; 

• Demonstrate recklessness or malice if ignored; 

• Support claims for aggravated damages; 

• May result in voluntary takedown without court intervention. 

Effective notices are factual, precise and legally grounded, avoiding unnecessary escalation while preserving enforcement leverage. 

5. Seek urgent interim injunctions and takedown orders 

Where defamatory content remains accessible and harm is ongoing, businesses should consider urgent court intervention. Kenyan courts are empowered to grant interim relief to prevent irreparable harm and preserve the status quo. 

Available interim remedies include: 

• Injunctions restraining further publication pending trial; 

• Mandatory interim takedown orders compelling immediate removal of unlawful content; 

• Preservation orders to prevent destruction of digital evidence. 

These measures are particularly important where reputational harm threatens business continuity or regulatory relationships. 

6. Consider data protection and privacy enforcement 

A growing number of online disputes involve the publication of private communications, personal data or sensitive business information. Such conduct may breach the Data Protection Act, 2019, which imposes strict obligations relating to lawful processing, purpose limitation and data minimization. 

Businesses should assess: 

• Complaints to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner; 

• Claims for compensation for unlawful disclosure; 

• Court-ordered corrective measures, including takedown and restriction of processing. 

Data protection enforcement often provides a parallel and highly effective route to containment and remedy. Remedies include fines, corrective orders and damages for unlawful disclosure 

7. Assess cybercrime and criminal exposure 

Sustained online harassment, threats or knowingly false publications may constitute criminal offences under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018. 

In appropriate circumstances, businesses may: 

• Lodge complaints with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations; 

• Seek preservation of electronic evidence for investigation; 

• Use criminal processes to deter further unlawful conduct. 

Criminal exposure can serve as a significant deterrent when civil remedies prove inadequate, particularly in cases involving anonymous or coordinated harassment campaigns. 

8. Pursue permanent remedies and reputation repair 

Interim relief is only the first step. Businesses should pursue permanent outcomes that restore reputational balance and deter recurrence. 

These may include: 

• Permanent injunctions prohibiting repetition of defamatory statements; 

• Mandatory permanent takedown orders; 

• Court-ordered public retractions and apologies of equal prominence; 

• General, aggravated and exemplary damages; 

• Damages for tortious interference and data protection breaches. 

Where appropriate, legal outcomes should be integrated with carefully timed reputation-management initiatives, implemented only after legal containment is achieved. 

9. Coordinate legal, regulatory and commercial strategy 

Effective response requires coordination across legal, regulatory and commercial functions. Fragmented approaches where litigation, regulatory engagement and executive communications operate in silos frequently undermine outcomes. 

Best practice involves: 

• Board-level oversight of reputational risk; 

• Integration of dispute resolution, data protection and cyber risk strategy; 

• Alignment of legal action with broader business objectives. 

Conclusion 

Defamatory online publications, digital harassment and coordinated reputational attacks present immediate and material risks to business operations, stakeholder confidence and long-term value. However, Kenyan law provides robust, practical and enforceable tools for businesses prepared to act decisively. 

Early evidence preservation, disciplined communications and swift legal intervention, including interim injunctions and takedown orders are central to containing harm and restoring commercial confidence. In the digital economy, delay is often the greatest risk. 

Contributors 

Cyrus Maina, Managing Partner – cmaina@cmadvocates.com     

Mercy Chore- mchore@cmadvocates.com  

Need legal guidance? 

For strategic advice on managing online defamation, digital harassment and reputational risk, please contact: 

Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), Data Protection & Cybersecurity Practice  

Email: corporate.commercial@cmadvocates.com 

 
Dispute Resolution & Appellate Practice  
Email: disputeresolution@cmadvocates.com  

This Regulatory Alert is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.