# Sueing a food critic?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sueing-a-food-critic/178809>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 31, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sueing-a-food-critic/178809 "2003-05-31T19:10:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sueing-a-food-critic/178809/1 "2003-05-31T19:10:12Z")

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From [Yahoo News](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=857&ncid=757&e=10&u=/nm/20030530/od_uk_nm/oukoe_italy_mcdonalds_critic):

> [@](#):
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> McDonald’s has sued one of Italy’s top food critics for raking its restaurants over the coals, but the critic says he has no intention of going back on saying its burgers taste of rubber and its fries of cardboard.

Can someone please explain to me how this lawsuit could make sense in any way, shape, or form? There is nothing in [the](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2951486.stm) [articles](http://money.cnn.com/2003/05/30/news/international/mcdonalds_italy.reut/) I read to suggest that the critic made any factually untrue statements about McDonald’s food. Looks like he just offered his opinion. How is this different from every other critic in the entire world? Are matters like this treated differently in Italy than in the U.S.? Is this suit legitimate in any way?

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sueing-a-food-critic/178809/2 "2003-05-31T19:33:05Z")

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Ridiculous! The man offered his opinion and nothing more. Hopefully, the Italian courts won’t even let this have a chance to be heard.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sueing-a-food-critic/178809/3 "2003-05-31T19:42:54Z")

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The question is whether it makes sense in Italy. Perhaps Italian law provides encouragement for those suing for libel. I understand that English law is much more favorable in such cases than American law. Perhaps Italian law goes even further.