Sue Scheff: Is Google God?

Source: Toronto Sun

More like Casebook
Social networking sites can sometimes make or break a case in court

Be careful what you post on Facebook or MySpace, because anything you say or upload can and will be used against you in a court of law.

Last year, for example, an Ottawa court heard that a civil servant had started a clandestine affair with an old friend she reconnected with through Facebook during a messy custody battle involving three kids.

In a Vancouver courtroom last month, defendants in a personal injury case produced photos from the plaintiff's Facebook profile showing that while Myla Bagasbas was seeking $40,000 in damages for pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment after a car accident, she was still able to kayak, hike and bike post-accident.

"Facebook will be seen as a gold mine for evidence in court cases," said Ian Kerr, Canada Research Chair in ethics, law and technology at the University of Ottawa.

But it will also challenge the courts to further define the notion of personal privacy. In a precedent-setting case this year, a Toronto judge ordered that a man suing for physical injury in a car accident be cross-examined on the contents of his private Facebook profile. Justice David Brown of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice overturned a previous court decision that called the defendant's request to look for incriminating evidence a "fishing expedition."

The very nature of Facebook is to share personal information with others, Brown wrote, and is likely to contain relevant information about how the plaintiff, John Leduc, had led his life since the accident. But if Leduc's profile is private with restricted access, is that considered an invasion of privacy?

"The courts sometimes don't get it," Kerr said. "The tendency in judicial opinion and popular thinking is that once something is out in the public, there's no such thing as privacy anymore. But that can't be right because we all have curtains."

For Facebook users, those curtains are our privacy settings. If our home is our castle, Facebook should also be considered a walled domain, Kerr said.

For example, while a member may post pictures from a beer bash the night before, that doesn't mean they would take the same pictures to show off to their boss the next day, Kerr explained.

Likewise, in Murphy versus Perger, a judge ordered that the plaintiff, who was suing for claims of personal injury and loss of enjoyment of life after a car accident, produce copies of her Facebook pages showing photos of her engaging in social activities. In her judgment, Ontario Superior Court Justice Helen Rady wrote "The plaintiff could not have a serious expectation of privacy given that 366 people have been granted access to the private site."

But having 366 Facebook friends doesn't entitle the rest of the world to view personal information meant only for certain eyes, said Avner Levin, director of the Privacy Institute at Toronto's Ryerson University.

"It's not how many people you share it with, it's who you choose to share the information with," Levin said. "The judge is missing the point. What's important is not how many people are your friends, but who you choose to know you."

While we're able to compartmentalize and separate people in our lives offline by assigning titles to different spheres -- co-workers, neighbours, family -- the online world fails to recognize those distinctions, he added.

It's a habit that spills over in the job hunt as well. Employers admit they rely heavily on information they glean about a candidate from Google searches and networking profile pages. But it's an unfair screening process, Levin said, and attaches more value to people's online identities -- and sometimes third-party information -- than the candidate they meet in real life.

"We need to suppress that tendency to go on Google and look people up. There's already a process of hiring that works for them and has been working for years," Levin said.

While we're more likely to trust a direct source and treat gossip with skepticism in the offline world, the same can't be said of online information.

Pruning online identities and putting a person's best cyber-foot forward are services offered by companies such as DefendMyName, a personal PR service which posts positive information about a client and pushes down negative links in Google. ReputationDefender also destroys libelous, private or outdated content.

"A resume is no longer what you send to your employer," said ReputationDefender CEO Michael Fertik. "More people look at Google as a resume."

But instead of authenticating information found online, people are trusting secondary material and treating Google like God.

"What happens is in a court of law, you have to prove something beyond a reasonable doubt. On the Internet though, many decisions are based on lower standards," Fertik said.

But is sanitizing a person's online reputation of unflattering content an infringement of freedom of speech and freedom of expression?

"Only if you believe Google is the best and most accurate source of information," Fertik said. "But I don't think Google is God. I believe Google is a machine."

vivian.song@sunmedia.ca

Sue Scheff: What is Your Teen Posting in CyberSpace?

This is a very interesting article that will make parents think when safety trumps privacy - do you suspect your teen or tween is posting disturbing photos or communicating with questionable others? As a parent is is our responsibility to help keep our kids safe online. Having open lines of communication can help tremendously and helping them to understand the consequences of unflattering posts is critical.

We will spy on your teen’s website for you

More and more worried parents are resorting to using data-tracking services to keep up with what their teenagers are doing on the internet, writes Siobhan Cronin

Source: Independent.ie

Irish parents are the best in Europe at monitoring their kids on the internet. However, their kids are the least likely of all European children to turn to mum or dad for advice when something happens to them online.

These were the results of a recent survey by the European Commission into internet supervision by parents.

While our parents might be good at keeping tabs on their kids, cyber bullying is still on the increase, sometimes with tragic results.

Cork girl Leanne Wolfe’s horrific tales of bullying were revealed in her diary, days after her death by suicide last year.

Her sister later told of the nasty text messages and vicious internet entries which led Leanne to take her own life.

It is real-life stories like Leanne’s which have led thousands of American parents — and now a few hundred Irish ones — to resort to using a service that will keep tabs on what their children are reading, and uploading, on the web.

But it’s not just bullying that worries parents. Unfettered access to the web for our kids has also meant open access to them from anyone who is ‘roaming’ around in cyberspace.
This has led some parents to take the ultimate action — spying on their own children.

The founder of Reputation Defender, Michael Fertik, has been called to justify his online service: “Would you like to know your 16-year-old daughter is putting pictures of herself wearing only a bra on the web? Yes. People are not born with good judgment and it rarely develops by 15,” he says.

But another defence of Fertik’s service is, he claims, the prevalence of web bullying.

“When we were at school, we wrote mean notes to each other but you threw the piece of paper out the next day — now it’s on the internet wall forever,” he says.

Fertik’s solution, MyChild, scours the internet for all references to your child — by name, photography, screen name, or social network profiles.

For about €9.95 per month, the ‘online spy’ will send you a report of what your child has posted on the worldwide web.

Its approach is unashamedly tapping into parents’ paranoia: “Worried about bullies? Concerned that your teens’ friends and peers are posting inappropriate materials online,” the site asks.
Fertik, who says he has a “few hundred” Irish customers already, says his company grew out of a need to protect online privacy.

“Young people do the same things that they always did,” he points out. But now it’s on a wall on a web page. The internet is like a tattoo parlour.”

The firm, which started in his apartment in Kentucky, and now employs 65 staff servicing 35 countries, brought in revenues of $5.5m (€4.3m) this year.

He insists there is no “hacking” involved. His staff go through legitimate channels, but are simply better trained in the ways of teenage internet usage than most parents.

“We always encourage the parent to get the password — we don’t want to be spying on kids,” he adds.

One of the things that often causes concern among parents is the practice of their own lives being discussed on a website. “These things have always been discussed by children, but now it’s up there for everyone to see. Things like: ‘My parents are fighting’ or ‘I think they are going to get a divorce’.”

In pre-web days, we all had very intimate conversations with our peers about our home lives — either in person, or on the phone. Now it’s all on the internet, Fertik notes.

Once the offending material is identified, Reputation Defender can delete it, on the instructions of the parent, whether it involves comments, photographs or videos posted on social-networking sites, or on chat rooms or forums.

The service has become so popular that the company now offers packages to adults to manage search engine results, ‘reputation’ for career purposes, and general ‘privacy’ — so that you can stop sites selling your personal information to others.

But that very privacy is the reason that children’s rights organisations around the world have come out strongly against the practice.

Michael McLoughlin of Youthwork Ireland, which provides support and youth services for over 40,000 young people, says that while there may be some justification of the service for younger teens, this could become somewhat blurred when dealing with children of 16 or 17 years of age.
“At that stage in their lives they should really know what they are doing themselves,” he says. Youthwork Ireland is currently preparing guidelines for youth workers dealing with online bullying. “We try to tool them up on social networking, and try to improve the safety aspects.”
The ISPCC agrees that children need to be made aware of the risks of online networking. However, National Childline Manager Margie Roe says that while parents need to respect privacy and maintain trust, they also need to police their children if they think they might be in any danger.

“If a parent is concerned about their child, they have a right to protect them,” she says.

“They need to be careful they don’t damage the trust between them and their child, but if they feel their behaviour is in anyway unusual, or their child is disappearing a lot, then it could be justified.”

This would be particularly relevant if parents are concerned their children might be making plans to hook up with people they have only met online, says Margie.

Michael Fertik is adamant that he is not doing anything ethically wrong.

“If a kid is 18 or older, we won’t do it. Parents who are signing up for this feel they don’t know how to keep up with their kids and they don’t understand Facebook or Bebo.”

He says the children themselves have mastered the art of ‘multiple’ personalities, in order to make discovery of their sites more difficult, but Reputation Defender is on their case.

However, even Fertik’s own ’solution’ can be subject to unsavoury interference. The system flags a query when the last name of the parent does not match the child’s, prompting further requests from the applicant, before they are given information on the child’s use of the web.
Fertik’s attitude appears to be that online surveillance is now a necessary evil in our modern world.

“There is no medical privacy for kids, no legal privacy. We are not suggesting they shouldn’t be allowed use the internet, but it’s like driving a car — you want to make sure they know how to drive first.

“We are not spying on someone else’s kid. It’s a new day, the internet brings new threats, and we need new armour.”
- Siobhan Cronin

Sue Scheff: Video Reputation Management - ReputationDefender

Do you feel the need to trust a professional service to monitor your online reputation protect your privacy, and maybe even use for civil and criminal lawsuits? ReelSEO’s Grant Crowell interviews Michael Fertik, CEO of ReputationDefender, about where automated tools are today with monitoring video online, what’s expected to improve with advances in technology, and what are some of the best ways people can go about monitoring and managing their ‘video reputation’ today.

Michael’s Bio

For some background, Michael Fertik’s company profile reads: “a repeat Internet entrepreneur and CEO with experience in technology and law. After law school, he clerked for Chief Judge Danny J. Boggs of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. In his capacity as CEO of ReputationDefender, Michael serves on the advisory board of The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe), a non-profit that works for the health and safety of youth online.”

The following video clip features an roundtable panel discussion about online reputation management with Michael Fertik on “Digital Age” - WNYE/Ch 25 (NYC TV):

http://www.reelseo.com/video-reputationdefender-fertik/

How To Protect, Fix Your Online Reputation

Jan. 10, 2009
New York

(CBS) Did you ever "google" yourself and find something negative?

It should worry you. Just one negative posting can cost you a job

It's estimated that more than 70 percent of employers do a Web search on job applicants as part of their hiring procedures. More than half of them admit to not bringing someone on board because of negative information they found online.

It could be something you posted years ago, or something put into cyberspace by someone you know - or even a perfect stranger.

What can you do about it?

Michael Fertik, founder of ReputationDefender.com, had some advice on The Early Show Saturday Edition.

Fertik says he started the business two years ago with one person. He now has 60 employees. His service costs about $10 a month.

Fertik told substitute co-anchor Seth Doane that safeguarding your online reputation is “as important as your credit score nowadays. Every life transaction that you have, whether you’re looking for a job, you’re looking for romance, you’re looking for a friend - people are gonna look you up on the Web and make conclusions based on what they find.

"One random, idiosyncratic piece of content about you on the Web could dominate your Google results forever," he said. "It's such an issue: It affects people who are undeserving, people who are sort of using bad judgment, all kinds of different people."

What's worse, legal recourse is murky at best, Fertik observed, saying, "The law hasn't caught up yet with privacy. The Internet has really changed the privacy landscape in a big way and the law hasn't yet caught up with it. It's lagging behind, so far."

Fertik stressed that, "You have to be on top of your (online) reputation. It's not about narcissism. It’s about your personal brand. Especially in a down economy, people are looking you up, they’re making decisions. They're denying you a job unless they find something really good about you on the Web."

He had three key pieces of advice:

First, never let anyone set up your reputation online. Establish yourself online to create a clear and positive image of you. Don't wait for someone else to destroy it. Use what he calls "Google insurance": Create a profile on something like Facebook that's positive and tasteful. Claim the real estate on your name. What is said about you on the Web isn't a function of you living a righteous life: Anyone can say something bad about you. "Write your own history," he recommended.

Second, if there's a problem with your online reputation, you have to find it. Constantly monitor the Web. Search for full names, usernames, etc. Be on top of the game. Go deep into the Internet to Web sites that aren't indexed by Google: "The deep Web - Facebook, MySpace, the pages where the content really starts to generate and become problematic."

"Monitor yourself assiduously," Fertik told Doane.

Third: The longer it's there, the more it spreads and can be archived. If you see a problem, deal with it quickly. Get in touch with people and tell them to stop, in a kind and thoughtful way, without getting a lawyer involved right away. Reach them on a human level. If you want professional help, companies such as ReputationDefender are available. As Fertik told Doane, "Nip it in the bud before it spreads and gets mirrored and replicated. If you can't do it, you want to hire the pros."

If you do find something bad about yourself, how do you get it offline?
"Sometimes," Fertik responded to Doane, "what we do is, we overwhelm the 'bad' with good to make sure that when people look you up, they see what you want them to see, they see your good videos, not necessarily the (bad ones)."

Sue Scheff: ReputationDefender - My Good Name Protector ReputationDefender Raises $2.6M In 1st Round

Redwood City's ReputationDefender has raised $2.6M in 1st-round funding. The startup aims to sell online name-monitoring and protection services. The idea is that with all the social networks, blogs, etc. it is getting more and more common to find pictures or comments of oneself on the net. ReputationDefender pitches plans to get such comments taken down.

ReputationDefender says it made $1.2M in revenue in 2007. It sells four versions of its web reputation management services: MyChild, MyReputation, MyPrivacy and MyEdge. Services include a monthly report on what is said about a customer on the Internet and they can pay to have ReputationDefender help take negative items down or put up positive information.

Read entire article here.

Sue Scheff Podcast Website Updated

Visit www.suescheffpodcasts.com - just added The Rachael Ray Show.

Podcast on Keeping Kids Safe in Cyberspace

On Tuesday, June 17th Dr. Paul featured Michael Fertik, CEO of Reputation Defender. If you are a parent of a child that surfs online - this is an important Podcast for your to listen to.

From http://parentalpower.wordpress.com/:

Michael Fertik is a repeat Internet entrepreneur and CEO with experience in technology and law. After law school, he clerked for Chief Judge Danny J. Boggs of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. His company, Reputation Defender, helps parents to know what is online about their children, and provides services to find and eliminate potentially dangerous or damaging content.June17th Call
On this call, Michael discusses some important information and resources to help parents become more proactive about knowing what is out there about their family, and doing something about it.

Click here to listen: http://parentalpower.wordpress.com/

Sue Scheff: Online Harassment is a Growing Problem

It seems Internet Harassment, Online Slander, Cyberbullying and other abuses in the World Wide Web is growing! I am contacted on a daily basis from victims of today's newest lethal & legal weapon to harm others - keystrokes!

You have to wonder what possesses people to feel the need to hurt others so malicously. With all of today's critical issues such as hunger, the war, homeless people etc.... We have a new group of people that simply have too much time on their hands - and take pleasure in hurting others. E-Venge seems like a good name for it. If you think about it - it is a cowardly act. They hide out behind their computers and just strike their keypads - usually anonymously.

Read through this Blog and you will see that free speech is still in place but it will not condone defamation.

Blogging is fun, the Internet can be educational - but remember, what you post today can come back to haunt you tomorrow. And could be costly to you!

Visit my new updated Podcast website on E-Venge at http://www.suescheffpodcasts.com/

Sue Scheff Podcasts Website is Updated!

Visit www.suescheffpodcasts.com for the latest updates!

Sue Scheff - Internet Abuse - Podcasts!

Coming soon, my Podcasts website www.suescheffpodcasts.com will be updated with The Rachael Ray Show and The Cyber Savvy Show with Erika Marie Geiss.

Sue Scheff: The Cyber Savvy Show with Erika-Marie Geiss

What a fantastic show to promote Cyber-Safety. Last night I had the opportunity to be interviewed with Erika-Marie Geiss. It was a great introduction to my book - Wit’s End! - although we wanted to do more on Cyber Safety, time ran out! But don’t miss next Wednesday night (May 21st) when the CEO of Reputation Defender, Michael Fertik, will be her guest. A must for all parents concerned about their children’s safety online.

Click here to listen.

Sue Scheff - The Rachael Ray Show on Cyber Slander and more

Sue Scheff continues to be a voice against CyberSlander. As both a victim and survivor of Internet Defamation, she has become a leader in promoting Cyber Safety.On April 17th Sue Scheff appeared on the Rachael Ray Show talking about Cyber Slander and promoting her upcoming new book - Wit’s End!Free Speech will never condone defamation.

In an unprecedented jury verdict for damages, Scheff was awarded over $11Mfor the malicious and defamatory online comments from a woman that wanted E-Venge.For more articles on E-Venge - check out http://www.suescheffpodcasts.com/.

Sue Scheff retained the priceless services of Reputation Defender.If you are a victim of Internet Abuse, take a moment to review the services Reputation Defender has to offer.If you are a parent, it is important to consider Reputation Defender MyChild to help protect your child online.

Sue Scheff - Cyber Slander - Internet Defamation

After I won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages done to me online of $11.3M - this has brought me into a new chapter of my advocacy. As a parent advocate, I educate parents on a loosely regulated industry some call - teen help residential programs and schools.

After a horrific experience with my own teenager, I become a voice to create awareness to others so they didn't make the same mistakes I did.

Now with this new chapter of Internet Abuse and Cybersafety - I have meet with my Florida Senator several times and we just meet with our Congresswoman.

I am very confident positive changes will be made to create a safer cyberspace - help to make people accountable - and reduce cyberbullying through new legislation.My new position has put me in a public light, and I plan on using it to help others.

I am contacted on a regular basis from victims of the Internet harassment as well as many media outlets. This is now a topic that is not going away anytime soon.Visit my Podcasts on E-Venge. My official website is http://www.suescheff.com/

Sue Scheff - Cyber Slander - Internet Defamation

After I won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages done to me online of $11.3M - this has brought me into a new chapter of my advocacy. As a parent advocate, I educate parents on a loosely regulated industry some call - teen help residential programs and schools.

After a horrific experience with my own teenager, I become a voice to create awareness to others so they didn't make the same mistakes I did.

Now with this new chapter of Internet Abuse and Cybersafety - I have meet with my Florida Senator several times and we just meet with our Congresswoman.

I am very confident positive changes will be made to create a safer cyberspace - help to make people accountable - and reduce cyberbullying through new legislation.My new position has put me in a public light, and I plan on using it to help others.

I am contacted on a regular basis from victims of the Internet harassment as well as many media outlets. This is now a topic that is not going away anytime soon.Visit my Podcasts on E-Venge. My official website is http://www.suescheff.com/

Sue Scheff on The Rachael Ray Show - Hot Topic - Cyber Slander

Sue Scheff continues to be a voice against CyberSlander. As both a victim and survivor of Internet Defamation, she has become a leader in promoting Cyber Safety.

On April 17th Sue Scheff appeared on the Rachael Ray Show talking about Cyber Slander and promoting her upcoming new book - Wit’s End!

Free Speech will never condone defamation. In an unprecedented jury verdict for damages, Scheff was awarded over $11Mfor the malicious and defamatory online comments from a woman that wanted E-Venge.

For more articles on E-Venge - check out http://www.suescheffpodcasts.com/. Sue Scheff retained the priceless services of Reputation Defender.

If you are a victim of Internet Abuse, take a moment to review the services Reputation Defender has to offer.

If you are a parent, it is important to consider Reputation Defender MyChild to help protect your child online.

Sue Scheff - Internet Safety - Podcasts on E-Venge

Check out my new website on Podcasts about E-Venge.

Today's Cyber World has created new concerns for many people, especially parents and their kids using the Social Networking sites such as MySpace.

It is important to read how to protect your kids online and also be aware of where they are surfing.

I often recommend to parents to consider Reputation Defender/MyChild to help them monitor their children's name and where and how it is being used online.

Sue Scheff - New Podcast Added

Check out my new Podcasts Website.

The recent interview with the CBC Sunday Morning Magazine regarding Online Profiling as been added.

Sue Scheff: Helping Fight Against Internet Defamation and Internet Slander

After I won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages done to me online of $11.3M - this has brought me into a new chapter of my advocacy. As a parent advocate, I educate parents on a loosely regulated industry some call - teen help residential programs and schools. After a horrific experience with my own teenager, I become a voice to create awareness to others so they didn't make the same mistakes I did.

Now with this new chapter of Internet Abuse and Cybersafety - I have meet with my Florida Senator several times and we just meet with our Congresswoman. I am very confident positive changes will be made to create a safer cyberspace - help to make people accountable - and reduce cyberbullying through new legislation.

My new position has put me in a public light, and I plan on using it to help others. I am contacted on a regular basis from victims of the Internet harassment as well as many media outlets. This is now a topic that is not going away anytime soon.

Visit my Podcasts on E-Venge. My official website is http://www.suescheff.com/

Sue Scheff NEW Podcasts on Internet Abuse

Check out my new Podcasts on Internet Defamation, Internet Gossip, Internet Slander and Cyberbullying. This is becoming a major concern among people and parents today. I will continue to be a voice against Cyber Crimes and Internet Harassment.

Sue Scheff featured on CBC News Television

CBC News Television - Sunday Morning News Magazine

How can you fight back when your personal information - whether true or false - ends up on the Internet for everyone to see, like a potential employer, for example? We give you tips on protecting your reputation online.