Common Questions
Are you an attorney, and can you tell me if I have a defamation case?
No. I am not a licensed attorney and I do not provide legal advice or determine whether specific content meets the legal definition of defamation in any jurisdiction. I provide technical investigation, evidence documentation, and expert testimony on the internet-technology aspects of a matter. For a legal opinion on whether you have a claim, you should consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.
What should I do first if I think I'm a victim of internet defamation?
Preserve evidence immediately, before the content is deleted, edited, or the account is taken down. Take full screenshots that include the URL, date, and visible context, and start a written timeline of what happened and when. See the victim response guide for a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough.
Will the Wayback Machine (archive.org) have a copy of the defamatory content?
Often not. Archive.org's Wayback Machine only has a snapshot of a page if that specific URL was crawled at the right time, and most social media posts, individual reviews, and profile pages are never crawled at all. In my experience as an expert witness, relying on archive.org after the fact is one of the most common reasons evidence turns out to be unavailable. Screenshots taken while the content is still live are far more reliable.
Can you identify who posted anonymous defamatory content?
Sometimes, though it depends heavily on the platform, what technical data is available, and whether legal process such as a subpoena is used to obtain platform records. I can evaluate the technical feasibility of identification early in a matter and support attorneys pursuing formal identification through John Doe subpoenas and related legal mechanisms.
Do you work with both attorneys and individuals or businesses directly?
Yes. Attorneys retain me for expert witness and litigation support work, and businesses and individuals engage me directly — often through Hartzer Consulting — for investigation, evidence documentation, and reputation cleanup services, independent of any litigation.
How is expert witness work on internet defamation different from a typical SEO consultant?
Expert witness work requires methodology that can withstand deposition and cross-examination: documented evidence capture, defensible technical analysis, and clear written and verbal explanation for a non-technical audience. A typical SEO engagement optimizes a website; expert witness work investigates and explains what already happened, in a way that holds up under scrutiny.
Can you help clean up my online reputation even if I'm not pursuing a legal case?
Yes. Through Hartzer Consulting, I offer online reputation management and defamation cleanup services, including search result cleanup, content removal requests, review response strategy, and ongoing monitoring, regardless of whether litigation is involved.
What industries or types of clients do you typically work with?
A wide range — law firms, small and mid-sized businesses, executives and professionals, and individuals. The common thread is content published online that is false and damaging, whether it appears on social media, review sites, video platforms, or in search results.
Get in Touch
Every matter is different. If your question isn't answered here, the fastest way to get a specific answer is a direct conversation.