When one thinks of reputation management, often our mind’s eye goes to the celebrity who has just found him or herself as the lead-in piece on one of the “entertainment” programs which revel in salacious information. You wouldn’t be wrong. That said, while it might be enjoyable to watch various public persons navigate through the piranha infested waters, avoiding the paparazzi, it isn’t near as much fun to watch when it is your own reputation which is being dissected, besmirched, or discussed. Indeed, many times your are not even part of the public discussion about you and unless you are paying attention you may never know what others are saying.
At the same time, your public postings on various social networks could be harvested, taken out of context and splayed upon the internet (see Social Sharing – A Security Risk?) causing a bit of consternation. And of course we must factor in the photos taken by others which show you engaged in activities that don’t match the professional persona you are projecting today – even if it all may have been in good fun at the time.
Every snippet of information posted about you online will affect your reputation. If you do nothing else with respect to reputation management, set up a persistent search for any items containing your name (and include misspellings). While it may appear narcissistic it is an affordable, quiet and efficient way to compile information as it is rolling out on the internet. This writer does this. While there are a number of individuals with my name who find themselves in unsavory situations, I know it isn’t me.
What to do if you find information about you which you would like to be removed? There is a company, Internet Removal, which has compiled a list of social networks, and aggregators of personal information, including the directions on how to have your information removed. The company also offers to do the heavy lifting on your behalf, for a fee, but you will find in most cases you can handle the engagement yourself.
Reputation management need not be a heavy time investment of resources, but should not be ignored.
Additional Reading:
Me, Myself and I: Helping to manage your identity on the web.
