Our firm has been specialising for decades in litigation concerning all forms of harassment (stalking), defamation and libel — both offline and online. We act for private individuals as well as businesses that are confronted with unlawful statements, smear campaigns, threatening messages, or a sustained pattern of online abuse. Whether the perpetrator operates openly or under cover of anonymity, we have the expertise and experience to take effective legal action.

The internet has made it easier than ever to harass, defame or slander a person or organisation. A single negative post can reach thousands of people within hours; a coordinated smear campaign can inflict serious reputational and financial damage within days. Social media platforms, review sites, forums and messaging apps are all frequently misused for this purpose. The victims — whether a private individual, a director, or a company — are often left feeling powerless, particularly when the perpetrator hides behind a pseudonym or anonymous account.

Tracing anonymous perpetrators through digital investigation

Anonymity is rarely absolute. Our firm combines legal expertise with digital investigation techniques to identify the person behind an anonymous online account. We systematically exploit every available lead: IP address data held by hosting providers, account information held by social media platforms, metadata in documents or images and more. Where necessary, we compel third parties — through court proceedings if needed — to disclose identifying information. A recent ruling by the District Court of Midden-Nederland confirmed that this civil-law route is an effective tool: the Court ordered the Dutch Chamber of Commerce to hand over the account data of an anonymous perpetrator who had circulated defamatory material.

Litigation: cease-and-desist injunctions, damages and criminal referral

Once the perpetrator has been identified (or where the identity is already known), we move swiftly. We typically seek:

A court injunction ordering the perpetrator to cease all harassing conduct immediately, on pain of a periodic penalty (dwangsom);
Removal of the unlawful content, whether by the perpetrator, the hosting provider, or the platform concerned;
Compensation for reputational damage, loss of income or other losses suffered;
Where the conduct is sufficiently serious, referral to or coordination with criminal authorities.

In urgent cases, we proceed by way of summary proceedings (kort geding) to obtain a swift court order.

When can we act?

We can act whenever the harassment originates from the Netherlands or whenever the damage is suffered in the Netherlands. This means that both Dutch and foreign victims of harassment by Dutch-based perpetrators, as well as Dutch individuals and businesses targeted from abroad, may turn to us for assistance.

Contact us

Are you or your business being targeted by online harassment, defamation or libel? Please do not hesitate to contact us without obligation to discuss the possibilities. Our team is ready to advise you and, where necessary, to take immediate action.