Wild West 2.0: How to Protect and Restore Your Online Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier [Hardcover]

This book makes a pretty compelling argument that, for better or for worse, your online reputation IS your reputation. And with rapidly advancing technologies, Web 2.0 has put everyone's reputation on the line. Fertik and Thompson provide some sobering details about current risks to your online persona and the legal and technical reasons underlying these vulnerabilities. They then present a clear, step by step plan to take control of your online identity and protect yourself from attacks. If you've been the subject of an online smear, you obviously need this book. But even if you haven't, an understanding of how to take control over the image you present to the world is essential. I've seen a lot of books dealing with computer safety, but Wild West 2.0 provides a much-needed guide to keeping yourself safe as well.

So you've opened accounts and signed up for social networks from Facebook to LinkedIn. Maybe you have a YouTube `channel' and are available through your business on a variety of other sites. How can you guarantee that you still maintain some degree of privacy while still enjoying the resources available in the online universe?

Welcome to `Wild West 2.0.'

In this volume, authors Michael Fertik and David Thompson present a systematic explanation of how, even with the best intentions, a modern day internet user can fall victim to spammers, scammers, and worse, those who may seek to besmirch ones reputation by either lifting information or creating false profiles that either block, or create identities that are far afield from your own.

From dating sites to political campaign trackers, the web is full of personal data landmines, that, while on the surface may pose no intentional threat to you, but can be used by less-than-honorable operators to assemble a personal dossier on total strangers by combining information from one site with data from another, in order to create a complete identity based on the aggregation of what was once considered piece-meal information.

In Wild West 2.0, the authors set out a number of examples of how to protect your web identity and reputation by methodically determining your specific goals about personal internet usage and even making a list of what you wish to accomplish and what people should be privy to your data.

Beyond the `normal' uses of the net (search engines, e-commerce, social sites, etc.) the book expounds on a series of schemes designed to have an impact in the worlds of politics, crime and other fraudulent perpetrations. (Check out the people that tried to make fake donations to the Obama campaign under names like Bill Ayers and Rev. Wright attempting to create political gain by making it appear that Obama had these guys as financial supporters.) The coverage here is broad and certainly will inform most readers on topics and areas of concern that they had heretofore not likely considered. There is even a bonus chapter at: [...]. Be warned.

"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."

If you're interested in online reputation, privacy issues and managing your public image on the Internet, there is plenty of content to be found online. Unfortunately, much of the information you unearth will be dated, off-topic, or too general to be really useful. What's more, sifting through it all will take time. And even though many of the commentators you discover may be knowledgeable and professional, are they qualified to offer advice on the legal aspects of privacy, intellectual property, reputation and business strategy?

For a more attractive alternative, check out "Wild West 2.0" -- an in-depth, strategic exploration of online reputation management, with a scope that encompasses both individual and business reputation issues. The authors are Harvard/Stanford lawyers who created "ReputationDefender"-- billed as the world's "first comprehensive online reputation management and privacy" site -- and the arguments they present are well-reasoned and thorough, with complete documentation and references.

Using the central metaphor of "The Wild West" may lack in originality, but it works well enough to establish a sense of why individuals and organizations need to take responsibility for their own well-being on the new Internet "frontier." Online cultural norms and technologies are still evolving too rapidly for "real time" enforcement by regulatory bodies or legal entities. (By the time enforcement actions are taken, the reputation "horse" has left the barn and covered a lot of territory.) In this environment, the authors argue, an individual simply has to look out for himself. "There is no sheriff in town."

Social Reputation = "The Halo Effect" + Social Proof

American psychologist Edward Thorndike is credited with the first studies (among U.S. Army subjects in 1920) of "the halo effect" -- a measure of how one's initial impression of a person could disproportionately influence all subsequent evaluations and opinions of that individual. As the authors point out, this dynamic is alive and well on the web today -- and when combined with the phenomenon of "social proof" (popularity) it creates the basis for social reputation.

"Many reputations are undeserved, especially in the age of digital media and Web 2.0 socialization. There are people and companies that have been unfairly smeared and that do not deserve their negative reputations. And there are people and companies that have positive reputations beyond what they have earned. But the inaccuracy of many reputations does not stop people from using reputation to judge each other." (My emphasis)

Unfortunately, simply knowing that these reputational forces exist doesn't provide immunity to them. When the first thing we see-hear-read about a company is negative, that organization has a significant obstacle to overcome in winning our trust and approval. And when we hear a rumor that ultimately proves to be unfounded, the initial negative association can still taint our perceptions of the unjustly criticized target. It's not fair, but it's real.

Understanding the basic dynamics of perception makes it easy to grasp why reputation experts insist on the importance of preemptively building "reputation capital" -- and addressing issues promptly when negative perceptions arise. (Once the genie is out of the bottle, there's really no getting it back in; not entirely.)

Online Anonymity Doesn't Respect Social Norms

"Wild West 2.0" also provides useful background information about the psychology of online attacks. The book devotes an entire chapter to the difficulties caused by "anonymous cowards" -- the malicious attackers who say things online they would never say in person.

"...the anonymity of the Internet can also lead to profoundly negative results. The worst of human behavior is revealed when nobody is watching. Many people allow their worst side to come out when there is no social pressure to behave ethically. Without such checks, anonymity can quickly lead individuals and groups away from their humanity and into depravity. And there is often no way to resolve disputes or disagreements when the other party to the disagreement cannot be found."

Perhaps you are among those who still don't accept the idea that your online reputation can really influence your success in the bricks-and-mortar world. (Or maybe you are postponing work on your online identity and image until you face an important interview or a major business deal?) Do yourself a favor and spend an hour skimming through this book -- or one of the other good titles* on the subject -- soon. (Also, see our review of "DIY Online Reputation Management" -- a hands-on guidebook for taking charge of your personal online identity.) Even if you're not convinced to invest time and money to manage your online reputation right now, consider it "cheap insurance" to have raised your awareness and taken a baseline measure.

At the very least, make a point of regularly monitoring Twitter and Facebook for mentions of your company and your name. And if you haven't already done so, set up these early warning alerts -- so you're notified when there's a blip on the radar screen:

[...] (Windows Live ID required)

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*Among those books I can recommend: "Radically Transparent," by Beal and Strauss; "Trust Agents," by Brogan and Smith; and "The Future of Reputation," by Solove.