Reputation Management and

Social Media

Chris Gatewood

@gatewood5000 www.thresholdcounsel.com

SMCRVA, Jan 2011

You Can’t Say That on the

Internet

or

Your Basic Playbook

1. Policies and Real Estate - risk management

2. Listen. Really Listen - monitoring3. Iron While Damp – respond, and quickly4. Ask for Help – credible requests and

demands5. What Are You Going to Do, Sue?

1: Risk Management

• Own the Real Estate• SEO Efforts

• SM, Blogging, Press Releases

• Manage Risks• Develop SM policies, training

2: Are You Listening?

Money

WorkMonitor:• Low End – free, DIY Google Alerts

• Mid-Level – monthly paid service

• Full Service – hire someone

3: Respond On-Site

Iron While Damp

Why?• Fast, Same Place

Why Not?• Attention, Credibility

4: DemandCredibility

Know the Limits• v. hoster - CDA Safe Harbor

• v. poster - Is it Defamation?

Terms of Service

• Community or Industry Sites

• Gripe Sites

4: DemandWhat are you asking for?

• Take Down

• Nofollow or robot.txt

• More prominent response

5: LitigationThere Will be Fallout

Calls More Attention

A Commitment

• Lots of Money, and Lots of Time

No Guarantees

• Results Will Vary

• Tweets re: drug dealer, prostitute

• Less harmful on Twitter?

• Trial February 6th

Ones to WatchSimorangkir  v. Love

• Connecticut ambulance worker

• Facebook comments

• Fired, but NLRB says that was not justified for comments

• Was SM policy and firing too harsh?

Ones to WatchSouza v. AMR