Synopses & Reviews
"Michael Fertik has produced an invaluable guide for anyone who is concerned about their reputation in the brave new world of the Internet."
-Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia
The Internet is a new Wild West: a free-for-all of abundant opportunities and serious dangers where familiar rules don’t apply. There is no law enforcement to stop anonymous cowards from defaming your character, few social conventions to prevent it, and no mechanism to get lies and smears removed from the Web. One disgruntled employee, unhinged customer, jealous competitor, or bitter ex can trash your reputation in just a few keystrokes—leaving you to clean up the damage.
These online attacks have real repercussions. Every day, people search for your name on the Internet, and all too often trust the “Google Truth”—the collection of search results selected by a computer for their popularity rather than their veracity—to decide whether to do business with you, or even just associate with you.
The result? Gossip, lies, and embarrassing accusations are anonymously lobbed into cyberspace. Google makes these smears permanent and spreads them around the world. Real reputations and businesses are destroyed. Fortunately, you can protect and restore your hard-won reputation by following the simple steps outlined in Wild West 2.0. This groundbreaking book explains why you are vulnerable to attack, and supplies proven strategies for building a storm-proof reputation. The book:
• Draws intriguing parallels between the Internet’s culture of expansion, speculation, and lawlessness and the gold rush mentality of the Old West frontier.
• Uncovers hair-raising stories of attacks made under a cloak of anonymity.
• Reveals new threats, including websites that broadcast your phone number, political contributions, family history, and more.
• Provides tips for locating every reference to you or your business in blogs, forums, and social networking sites.
• Supplies a plan to defend yourself now by preemptively creating layers of truthful online content.
• Shares the professional secrets of reputation repair, ranging from quick fixes for minor problems to massive rebuilding after calculated attacks.
You may resist the idea—you may even detest the idea—but the reality is that your online image controls your success in “real world” business and personal life. Your online reputation is much more powerful and precarious than you ever imagined. Take control of it with Wild West 2.0.
Michael Fertik is the founder and CEO of ReputationDefender, the world’s first comprehensive online reputation management and privacy company with customers in over 50 countries. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Michael serves on the advisory board of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. He has appeared on Dr. Phil, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the CBS Early Show, 20/20, and Fox, and has been featured in publications including The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, BusinessWeek, Investor’s Business Daily, and the Wall Street Journal.
David Thompson is general counsel and Chief Privacy Officer of ReputationDefender. He is a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Law School. His expertise ranges from founding his first Internet business in 1997 to advising seed-stage startups to a clerkship at the Supreme Court of the United States.
Review
“Full of invaluable information that readers will be very grateful to have when they need it...explains the rules and provides the tools for overcoming online attacks and regaining a positive reputation.” —Publishers Weekly
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“Advice…is both informed and wise…essential reading for professionals, business owners, and other individuals who need to understand how the Internet can be used to tarnish a reputation—and how to effectively protect against it.—ForeWord Magazine
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“There are no comparable works, since the technology referred to changes so rapidly…great for anyone interested in having a personal or business presence on the Internet and…in the sociological impacts of web 2.0.” –Library Journal
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“Who knew that a business book could be scarier than any horror novel? If you use the Internet for business but are concerned about its downside, this book is a must-read” –TheBookwormSez
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“The coverage here is broad and certainly will inform most readers on topics and areas of concern that they had heretofore not likely considered…Be warned.” -- Blog on Books
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“… worthwhile addition to the online marketing library and a solid reference if one's...good name and reputation are already under attack.” -- Miami Herald
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“…online reputation can be damaged in a matter of seconds…book teaches you how to fix it, if it gets out of control…highly recommend this one to anyone in marketing...” -- GeekGirlReviews.com
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“…much needed and necessary resource to combat the ever-increasing online damage to professional and personal reputations…definitely worth the time and effort to learn how to protect a job seeker's reputation.” —Suite101.com
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“…comprehensive look at a complex subject…Fertik's book is a great reminder of why it's important that while we embrace new media, we recognize its perils as well.”-AdPulp.com
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“..offer insights into maintaining online anonymity, the tactics of online attackers, how to avoid harassment and how to conduct an online reputation audit."– Houston Business Journal
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“…information provided in this brilliant book can spell the difference between a lost reputation, and a positive image...essential and seminal book on online reputation management.”- BlogBusinessWorld.com
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"...important new book…savvy, well-researched guide…loaded with useful defense moves.” — Joyce Lain Kennedy, nationally syndicated career columnist
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“…an excellent job of pointing out how and why the world-wide web is in many ways like the American Old West…a good place to start to protect yourself and your livelihood.” —Inland Empire Business Journal
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“…information in the book is well thought out and will…help you maintain your reputation…if you are worried about your online reputation, this book will help you maintain or repair it.” -- Online magazine
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"...authors’ enthusiasm for remedying the harm done to reputations by malicious, intentional lies comes through on every page.” — Security Management
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2010 ForeWord Book of the Year Awards 2010 Bronze Winner in the Business & Economics Category
Synopsis
In the age of Wild West 2.0, everyone has an online reputation. This resource offers simple yet extraordinarily powerful ways to proactively protect one's online reputation and offset even the most savage attacks.
Synopsis
The Internet is like the Old West—a frontier rich with opportunity and hope, but also a rough-and-tumble land of questionable characters, dubious legal jurisdictions, and hidden dangers. And just like the Old West, if you want to stake out your territory, you have to get there first and fend for yourself.
On the web, that means defending your good name and reputation before the attacks start. Because, despite the excellent product or service you provide, all it takes is one unhappy customer, jealous acquaintance, or unsavory competitor to start the rumors flying. Before you know it, search engines are regenerating that negative publicity every time someone researches you or your business.
Wild West 2.0 offers simple yet extraordinarily powerful ways to:
Proactively protect your online reputation • Determine the extent of reputation damage and identify its original source • Offset even the most savage attacks—and get the truth out there • Control how search engines rank and display results about your business and your name • Create positive Internet content and buzz that become “word-of-mouse” marketing
In the age of Wild West 2.0, everyone has an online reputation. Who do you want to create yours?
Synopsis
“An excellent guide to safeguarding reputation from the perils of the open, wild, and often rough-and-tumble Internet. Fertik and Thompson offer sage advice for how people can protect themselves against gossip, falsehoods, bullying, and other online threats.” — Daniel J. Solove, author of The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet
“The Internet does not forget. In an age of comprehensive digital memory, Wild West 2.0 offers not only first-rate analysis, but real-world practical tips on how to defend your reputation and survive the digital memory storm.” — Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, author of Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting
“Wild West 2.0 should be mandatory reading for businesses—especially in these wild days of social media playing the role of Billy the Kid. Conducting business online without this book is like facing a gang of desperados with nothing but a cap gun. I recommend it highly to guerrilla marketers everywhere.” — Jay Conrad Levinson, the father of guerrilla marketing and author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books
“The Internet is a fast, convenient source of false information. Read Wild West 2.0 to find out how to protect yourself.” — Gregg Easterbrook, author of Sonic Boom
“Wild West 2.0 is a wake-up call to parents everywhere. The Internet is our children’s new playground, fraught with online bullies and attackers. Fertik and Thompson remind us that we need to supervise them on this new frontier, and provide tips on how to take action if our loved ones are harmed online. A must-read for anyone with a computer, an Internet connection, or a family to protect.” — Dr. Michele Borba, Ed.D., author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries
“Your business reputation and personal privacy are at risk in ways you never thought possible. Wild West 2.0 compellingly explains the risks and blind spots created by the ‘social Internet,’ and teaches individuals and businesses how to succeed in the new cyberworld.” — Drew Bartkiewicz, author of Unseen Liability; and vice president of Cyber, Technology, and New Media Risks at The Hartford
“Do you know what Google Truth or the Streisand Effect are? You will and you should. Read this book and prepare yourself for the trench warfare that is Wild West 2.0.” —Timothy Ferriss, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek
“Michael Fertik and David Thompson have produced an invaluable guide for anyone who is concerned about their reputation in the brave new world of the Internet.” — Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia
About the Author
MICHAEL FERTIK (Redwood City, CA) is the founder and CEO of ReputationDefender, the world’s first comprehensive online reputation management and privacy company with customers in over 40 countries. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Michael serves on the advisory board of The Internet Keep Safe Coalition. He has appeared on "Dr. Phil", "The Today Show", "Good Morning America", "The CBS Early Show", "20/20", and "Fox Business", and been featured in publications including The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, BusinessWeek, Investor’s Business Daily, and The Wall Street Journal.
DAVID THOMPSON (Los Angeles, CA) is General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer of ReputationDefender.
Table of Contents
Contents
C H A P T E R 1 :
Welcome to the New Digital Frontier 1
C H A P T E R 2 :
Your Online Reputation Is Your Reputation 16
C H A P T E R 3 :
The Internet Is the New Wild West 30
C H A P T E R 4 :
The Forces Driving Online Reputation 44
C H A P T E R 5 :
Anonymous Cowards 61
C H A P T E R 6 :
Google Gone Wild: The Digital Threat to Reputation 82
C H A P T E R 7 :
Why People Attack Each Other Online 100
C H A P T E R 8 :
Types of Internet Attacks 123
C H A P T E R 9 :
How to Measure Damage to Your Internet Reputation Damage 150
C H A P T E R 1 0 :
Your Reputation Road Map and Online Reputation Audit 162
C H A P T E R 1 1 :
Getting Proactive: The Best Defense Is a Good Offense 188
C H A P T E R 1 2 :
Recovering from Online Smears: Restoring Your Reputation
After the Damage Has Been Done 207
C H A P T E R 1 3 :
Protect Your Small Business and Your Professional Reputation 234
C H A P T E R 1 4 :
Conclusion: Embrace the Internet 249
Glossary 251
Index 255