Richard and Joanna Gollin run Baile na Cille, a bed and breakfast in Timsgarry, on the remote Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. When false TripAdvisor reviews claimed rooms were freezing, there was no hot water, and the dining room was filled with "depressing" war memorabilia, bookings dropped. Gollin estimated £2,000 in lost business.
The legal battle
Gollin, age 64, filed a small claims action at Stornoway Sheriff Court for £3,000. TripAdvisor initially challenged the jurisdiction — arguing that a US-headquartered company couldn't be hauled into a Scottish court.
On October 11, 2012, TripAdvisor dropped its jurisdictional challenge, conceding for the first time that it was subject to the laws of Scotland and could be taken to court in the UK. Gollin's lawyer argued that "the harmful event took place in Uig, on Lewis."
The outcome
The sheriff ruled the case was too complex for small claims court and transferred it to a higher court. Gollin couldn't afford the unlimited legal expenses and dropped the case. But the jurisdictional concession stood — establishing that TripAdvisor can be sued under UK law.
What this case reveals
A B&B owner on one of Britain's most remote islands forced a multi-billion-dollar Silicon Valley company to acknowledge it answers to local law. The precedent matters: platforms can't hide behind US headquarters when their reviews damage businesses operating under different legal systems.