I was flattered and honored that Christopher Burgess would add Google Bomb book to his Blog on Online Safety and Online Reputation Management.

Here is the first part:

Online Safety: Reputation and Personal Brand (A review of the book – Google Bomb)

We all have a reputation. When you were young, you may have been known as the “ultra-smart” student or the one who wore “keds” or perhaps the “bratty one” or the “swimmer” – all labels. And as we matured the labels and nicknames associated with us adjusted. When we entered the working world we all were rated and graded on our clothes, performances, and achievements. Perhaps those judging were our customers, clients or supervisors and throughout the engagement our personal and professional reputations were formed and perhaps you had your professional dossier in hard copy and you also had the “hall file” or personal reputation. Today, the reputation is dynamic and while the hall file certainly remains, each of us as individuals has what is affectionately known as our personal brand.

Click here to read complete article >>>>>>

I was thrilled to be a guest on Traverse Legal Radio this week!

We talked about Internet Defamation and how it can devastate your business and reputation. 

Learn more – click here to read the transcript and listen!

Reminder: Purchase Google Bomb book to learn more about how you can maintain your virtual image!  Learn from my mistakes!

The who:

• *  Help jump-start your potential college applicant/application.
• *  Out of work?  Learn to promote your skills online.
• *  Professional or small business owner?  Learn to own and manage your virtual image.

The why:

•53% of Americans Google each other. Pew Internet & American Life
•26% of college admissions officers use search engines to research candidates. University of Massachusetts Center for Market Research
•64% of teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about. anti-drug.com
•77% of executive recruiters use search engines to research applicants. CareerBuilder

The how:

Tip 1:  Check out your social networking sites.  If there is information or photo’s on there you wouldn’t share with your grandparents, chances are they shouldn’t be on the Internet.  Keep it clean!

Tip 2: Sign up for personal branding services.  This is free.  Services such as Naymz, Ziggs, LinkedIn and LookUpPage offer free online profile set-ups.  Take the time to create your cyber resume.  It is important to own your own name and your own background. 

Tip 3: Create your own Blog. There are many free Blog sites such as Blogspot and WordPress.  Take the time to let your potential college or employer see that you are enthusiastic about your interests and motivated to be all you can be.  If you are a professional or business owner, let your future and current clientele see that you are up-to-date and knowledgeable about your products and services.  [For example www.suescheff.blogspot.com and www.suescheff.wordpress.com]

Tip 4: Create Google Alerts for your name, business name and nicknames. This is free.  Find out when, how and why your name is being use online.  This vital for small businesses especially.  If there is a disgruntled client or customer, you want to know and hopefully can rectify the situation before it gets worse.

Here are three tips that have limited fees:

Tip 5: Buy your own URL with your name. For example mine is www.suescheff.com . This can be as little as $7.99 a year through GoDaddy. Build yourself a small website and share with people surfing and researching the web about yourself.

Tip 6:  Place your name.  Literally you can give the gift of PLACE YOUR NAME with a professional service for as little as $49.95 one time fee.  Let them position your name in the search engines, write a press release for you and more.  All for one low fee. 

Tip 7: Hire an online management service.  Although there are many to choose from today, my personal experience is with ReputationDefender.  If you know someone that is struggling with online slime, or simply needs a virtual presence or “online make-over“ and doesn’t have the time or the computer savvy to create their cyber image, consider giving them a gift of relief with an online management service.  PS:  This is also a great gift to give yourself.  In my opinion and experience, Reputation Defender is the pioneer of online reputation management services and number one in my book.  (I am not a paid sponsor for them and I don’t receive any referral fees from them) I am simply a satisfied client. Costs vary according to your needs. Visit www.reputationdefender.com for their many services, as well as NameGrab, their latest addition.

Do you want more tips and practical guidance to help maintain your cyber profile?  Don’t forget to purchase Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet (Health Communications, Inc. August 2009).  This book makes the perfect gift for everyone and anyone that uses the Internet, owns a business, has a reputation to protect, applying to schools, looking for jobs and more.

No one is immune to having their Internet image ruined.  So for this holiday season, give a present that gives you or the recipient a ‘presence’.

Remember it can take 20 years to build up a solid reputation and today it can take 20 minutes of a few vicious keystrokes and a click of the mouse, and those 20 years are history.

Also visit my Examiner articles on this subject – Part 1 and Part 2

I was thrilled to see a Press Release in Canada this week.  Google Bomb book has been doing exceptionally well not only in the United States, but also abroad.  If you haven’t learned about my story – a cautionary tale of how vicious keystrokes can ruin your reputation virtually, read Google Bomb today – it also offers practical advice to protect yourself before you are hit with Internet slime!

Read Press Release.

Remember, your BFF today can be your foe tomorrow.  Your soulmate today, can be your adversary tomorrow! No one is immune to Internet Slander – so take pre-cautions to secure your name online.

Many of my readers know I am probably one of ReputationDefender’s largest fans.  If you have read my recent book, Google Bomb, you will completely understand why.

Back in 2003 I was attacked viciously online.  Slime balls of lies, twisted truths and much more.  In 2006 I won a landmark case with a jury verdict for damages of over $11M!  The jury sent a very clear and strong message – free speech does not condone defamation.  Be careful what you post online, it may not only haunt you later, it could cost you a bundle. 

After my court room victory, I felt vindicated and like a new person.  However what I didn’t realize is that all that ugly stuff online still existed. 

My next call-out was to Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of what was, back in 2006, a small new company.  He assured me he could help me with my virtual image.  As promised, within a few months, I was back to myself both emotionally and virtually.

Since then, I have recommended these services to many people.  I receive hundreds of emails of people that are being harmed online. ReputationDefender  has grown from the few people I remember, to an entire staff of caring and dedicated people that are there to help you manage your online reputation.

For the record: I am not a spokesperson or sponsor of ReputationDefender.  I do not participate in their referral affiliate program and I have never received any gifts or money from them.  I am simply a very satisfied client.

Today they announced their latest service, NameGrab.  Here is their recent press release.  I am confident this is another fantastic asset to their growing and successful business.  Read on!

ReputationDefender Launches Online Identity Management Service

NameGrab Allows Users to Control and Protect Their Names Across the Web, Dominate Search Results and Promote Their Personal Brands Online

REDWOOD CITY, CA–(Marketwire – November 16, 2009) – ReputationDefender, the leading comprehensive online reputation and privacy management company, today introduced NameGrab, a new service that allows users to control their online identities and promote their personal brands online. NameGrab’s proprietary technology automates the process of reserving your name across hundreds of social networking sites, thus ensuring both that search results produce the ‘real you’ and that your personal brand is accurately reflected online.

In today’s search-dominated world, your high-quality online identity has never been more crucial. NameGrab provides the tools to help you proactively secure that identity by claiming the most important social profiles on the Web on your behalf. Using NameGrab’s innovative technology, you can now:

–  Control and protect your name across the Web;
–  Own your name on hundreds of social networking sites, including
    Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter;
–  Prevent imposters from posing as you online;
–  Dominate search results for your name; and
–  Ensure that people find the real you.

“It’s impossible to overstate the importance of protecting your good name on the Internet. By gaining control over your brand and image across social networking sites, you can ensure that friends, colleagues and potential customers using these powerful online properties can easily find the real you and not someone else,” said Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of ReputationDefender. “NameGrab is ideal for anyone with a presence online — new college graduates, job hunters, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers and realtors who use the Web for new client leads. NameGrab is the only service that makes reserving and managing your name across social networking sites truly effortless — ultimately putting control of your name back in your own hands, where it belongs.”

NameGrab is also available for businesses looking to improve customer connectivity and efficiently manage their online footprints. NameGrab provides access to all registered usernames and passwords within one convenient, secure location, limiting excess email, and allowing users to easily manage which profiles need content and be alerted to the latest social networks and new profile availability. For more information on NameGrab, please visit: http://www.namegrab.com

About ReputationDefender

ReputationDefender is the world’s only comprehensive online reputation and privacy management company. Through its suite of services, including MyReputation(SM), MyEdge(SM), MyChild(SM), and MyPrivacy(SM), ReputationDefender helps its customers manage and protect their online information. ReputationDefender also helps customers promote themselves and their businesses online. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, ReputationDefender serves customers in over 40 countries and has been featured in Washington Post and Forbes cover stories, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Follow ReputationDefender on Twitter @RepDef

Visit ReputationDefenderBlog and get involved with the conversation and chatter!

For everyone and anyone that is reading this, you use the Internet. I recently watch the most compelling and disturbing documentary. I almost feel like Oprah when I say – you have to watch this! I have never been so moved to anger, rage, and other emotions that we are now confronted with because of monsters that lurk online.

My recent book, Google Bomb, is the tip of the iceberg after watching this film. The victims, and now crusaders, in this film contacted me after hearing about my book and my own experiences.

Many people that have read my book say they have nightmares if they read it before going to bed. I never really understood that. Until I watched this documentary and lived it through other’s lives. My story is horrible, what I endured, however since I was so enmeshed in surviving on a daily basis, I didn’t realize how traumatic it was.

I know many of you have limited time. Watch this 50 minute film in segments if you have to, but watch it.

The title is “Stalkers” however I would prefer to use a phrase that was recently introduced to me – “criminals with a keyboard.”

This film shares two stories with you. One with Graham Brown-Martin (pictured above) and his lovely wife, Ren as well as their toddler daughter and the other with a man, Chay, who in one weak moment had a one night stand that takes obsession to a new level. If there was ever a “Fatal Attraction” through the Internet, we have found it. However, unlike the Hollywood movie, Chay literally only had a one night stand, no strings attached. He never heard again from her until months later, and it would be the worse next years of his life.

Are you ready to watch? http://www.digitalsafety.com/cyberstalking

Don’t miss a minute of it! Visit Digital Safety for more information.

In today’s cyberspace world, the Internet is considered the information highway; however how do you determine what is Internet fact or fiction? Recently in Boca Raton, Florida a new service opened and it couldn’t be at a better time.

Today more and more people will Google you and the statistics are growing in regards to employers and college recruiters using Search Engines to research applicants.  It has become imperative that you own your name and maintain your Internet Resume.

•53% of Americans Google each other. – Pew Internet & American Life
•26% of college admissions officers use search engines to research candidates. University of Massachusetts Center for Market Research
•64% of teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about. -anti-drug.com
*77% of executive recruiters use search engines to research applicants.  -CareerBuilder

Here is a recent Press Release to learn more about placing your name online:

BOCA RATON, FL (November 3, 2009) – With an increasing number of Internet users Googling themselves and others on a regular basis, having an established and positive online search profile is a necessity for both individuals and companies.

Whether it’s a job seeker concerned about what potential employers see about them online or a business owner with a new product launch, having a strong Internet presence under one’s own name is an absolute necessity.

With this in mind, a Florida-based Internet marketing company has announced the launch of PlaceYourName.com, a new service that helps users manage and control what is seen about them when their names are searched online.

Using a combination of Internet public relations, Web site development and proprietary techniques, PlaceYourName.com offers its users the ability to place their name, news and biographical content online, creating a positive search engine profile in the process.

For less than $50, PlaceYourName.com helps empower users to take control of their online image, regardless of writing ability, computer knowledge or whether or not they have an existing Web site.

PlaceYourName.com offers registered users a personalized User Control Panel (UCP), where they input their information, news and content. After approving changes made by a PlaceYourName.com editor, the information is then placed online across a wide variety of content portals.

Once distribution takes place, users then have the ability to log back into their UCP and see the new information in the search engines in real-time.

The cost, ease-of-use and emphasis on personalized name promotion are what separate PlaceYourName.com from other traditional online visibility services.

PlaceYourName.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of Search Me Group, LLC, an Internet marketing company dedicated to establishing online visibility for individuals, companies and organizations.

For more information, visit http://www.PlaceYourName.com  or call 1-561-404-4790. Take a few minutes to watch the video and see how PlaceYourName can help you!

If you doubt that maintaining your virtual image is important, be sure to read my recent book, Google Bomb! The Untold Story of How the $11.3M Verdict Changed the Way We Use the Internet.
Also on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-19494-Broward-County-Parenting-Teens-Examiner~y2009m11d3-New-service-helps-Place-Your-Name-virtually-correct

Conversations with Moms interviews our foreword author, Michael Fertik. CEO and Founder of ReputationDefender.

The response has been overwhelming to Google Bomb book and I am thrilled that the reviews just get better and better. Be sure to order your copy today.

Source: Conversations with Moms

By: Maria Melo

When I wrote about my review of the Google Bomb book, I was not surprised about all the emails and comments I received concerning online reputation. I felt like I had learned a lot from reading this book and was a little less naive about the potential threats online.

Read complete interview: http://conversationswithmoms.com/2009/10/30/reputation-defender-protect-familys-online-reputation/

Follow ReputationDefender on Twitter @RepDef

Follow Conversations with Moms on Twitter @ConversationsWM

By Maria Melo

If you haven’t read my review on the, “Google Bomb” book, be sure to read it.  It is the untold story of the landmark internet case that won Sue Scheff $11.3 million for defamation of character.  I was so amazed with what I read, that I just had to follow through with some questions.

Click here  for my complete interview.

What are they saying about you?

National Cyber Safety Awareness month is a reason for you to take a closer look at who you are virtually.

Many people believe that if they are not online; don’t use Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or other social media that you are immune to what lurks in cyberspace.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. There may come a day when you need employment (or new employment), or want to apply to college (even adults), or simply want to join your local community center. Will someone be reviewing your application? Is your resume perfect for a certain position but you are not getting a call? Do you own a small business and your phones have stopped ringing? What does Google say about you?

Let’s look at another angle. Your child is in competitive sports, or your spouse is a member of a prestigious club, or your parents own the local dry cleaners (or any small business), or you are the president of the PTA, etc. Then there is one upset and/or jealous person that feels you are getting too much attention. Or your child gets the lead in a school play while their child was eliminated?

It only takes a few keystrokes and a click of the mouse before your world in your small little town can become virtually incorrect as you are now accused of malicious acts, even harming your child, being an unfaithful spouse or worse. I have received many emails that this is not unheard of, and people’s lives are devastated from others with intent to ruin your life. Afterall the Internet is a extra-large city with limited regulations and no jails.

Be proactive with your online profile. Take the time to insure your reputation. Whether you are a housewife, a parent, a career professional, a student and others – you are not immune to Internet gossip. Years ago gossip was limited to your own geographically area, now it can go worldwide very quickly. A 20 year reputation can be ruined in 20 minutes with a few vicious keystrokes.

Many Internet readers do not take the time to figure out Internet fact verses Internet fiction. Internet gossip can go viral in a matter of minutes, days, weeks and suddenly you have become someone that has the plague and no one wants to be around you or hire you.

During National Cyber Safety Awareness Month take an hour to build your online image. I posted some tips in an earlier article, Internet image: Tips to maintain your virtual profile and image.
For more info: Read my new book, Google Bomb! The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict that Changed the Way We Use the Internet.  You may also want to consider an online reputation management service, ReputationDefender.

Also on Examiner.com

Internet safety is not only about parenting, kids and teens; it is about you and your profession. Are you a small business owner or are you a professional in a competitive field? First and foremost you need to own your own name and business name virtually.

Here are some Cyber Tips to help protect your good name, reputation and expand your personal branding online.  Being proactive can not only build your business, it can help prevent you from being hit with a Google bomb.

Sign up for personal branding services and post your resume (if applicable) and information that pertains to your services, business, profession etc. Some of these personal branding sites are Naymz.com, LookUpPage.com, Ziggs.com, LinkedIn.com.

Own your name and business name on Blogs. Sign up for free services on Blogs with your business name and your name as the URL. Blogger.com and WordPress.com are two that are most frequently used. (For example: www.suescheff.blogspot.com and www.suescheff.wordpress.com) Try to keep them updated as time permits, however owning them is most important. Keeping them updated will help your search engine rankings and that is what you are aiming for.

Set up your Google Alerts. You want to know when your name or businesses name it being used online. This is another free service that will take you minutes to set up and keep you informed when your name is posted on the Internet. Twilert.com is used for Twitter Alerts. This is also a free service to be alerted if people are using your name on Twitter. Keep in mind, an early alert system can help you to be proactive before it escalates out of control.

Buy your domain name. Most businesses already have a website, however if you don’t, this is critical to your  virtual image and will offer your customers/clients your information firsthand rather than on forums that are not moderated or regulated. This can be minimal in costs and the return will be priceless. Purchasing your URL can cost you a little as 7.99 a year (for example: www.suescheff.com). Building a small website can also be cost effective and every business today, small or large, needs to have a virtual presence. You need to own it and be in control of it. If you already have a website – it is important you keep it fresh and updated. This not only helps your rankings in search engines, it also let your clients/customers know you are in business.

Social Networking. Back to owning your own name, and/or business name; create your online presence with Social Networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc. Social media can actually grow your business and brand your name. Just remember, you need to be the one creating the brand! Keeping your information updated, as I said above, not only improves your search engine rankings, it shows your potential clients/customers you are active in your industry.

Create anchors with your name/business name. Every time you post your business name, hyperlink it back to your website and a specific page about the general content, such as Teen Depression. Another example, my organization is Parents’ Universal Resource Experts, click on it, it will bring you to my website. If you have a slogan for your business, such as, “parents helping parents” hyperlink it back to your site. These are “anchor links” and will also improve your search engine rankings.

Google yourself and your business name frequently. Always being aware of your virtual image can save you hours/days/weeks of correcting it. The earlier you see a negative post, the sooner you can address it. Depending on the post, you have methods you can take to correct it. In some cases you may know the client that wrote the unflattering post and you can contact them and ask what you can do to make it right. (Unfortunately, many are not that easy). If it is slanderous and abusive towards your small business or yourself, you can review the TOS (Terms of Service) or Code of Conduct and see if the post violates their guidelines. These are usually found at the bottom of the web page, or search the help box for that website.  Once you find the TOS or Code of Conduct, a simple note to the site moderator may get the post removed. Most important, is to be proactive.

Reputation Management Online Services. Today more and more businesses are hiring online reputation management services and viritual assistants (also know as VA’s).  These seem to be replacing many public relation services, or in many cases, public relations are expanding their services to online reputation management.  This is a person decision depending on your budget and your business.  Whether you hire one or not, it is important you take action and be proactive to insure your online profile for both you and your business.

For more info: ReputationDefender, Google Bomb book, Stay Safe Online, Do You Know What Google is Saying About You? Also refer to my article about maintaining your Online Image.

Also on Examiner.com

Google Bomb by John W Dozier Jr. and Sue Scheff

Reviewed by Jane Balvanz

We all know the drill the flight attendant gives before the plane takes off. “Ladies and gentleman, please note the compartment above where the oxygen masks are stored. In case of an emergency, they will drop down. Please put your oxygen mask on first before assisting children or others.” We know why. If you can’t protect yourself first, you can’t help anyone else.

The Google Bomb book is a metaphoric oxygen mask. If we want to protect our kids from cyber bullying, we need to know what can happen to adults on the Internet. While it’s a wonderful place to communicate, conduct business, and access information, the Internet is also a virtual place with cyber land mines. You can’t navigate around them if you don’t know they exist.

A line from the book made me sit up and take notice: “Parents, if you cannot use and understand the technology your kids are using, then don’t allow them to use it. Period.” This wasn’t a call for parents to shut off their kids’ computers, cell phones, or ban them from technological advances. It was a call for parents to know as much as their children about technology, because what you don’t know about the Internet can hurt you….and your family.

This brings to mind one of my friends. She’s a successful business owner, financially astute, and her business is not Internet dependent. In fact, she’s so successful she doesn’t even have to advertise. She’s savvy, but she doesn’t know how to navigate on a computer let alone access the Internet. Her children know more about this technology than she does. They are six and seven.

Now to the matter of why the Google Bomb book exists. Sue Scheff, renowned and respected child and parent advocate and founder of Parents Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.), became the target of unfathomable Internet defamation. She was hit by a Google Bomb. Because of false, defamatory material written about her on the Internet, she became a magnet for serious cyber stalkers and their followers. For a while, Sue’s life was not her own. Her story reads like the horrifying cyber nightmare you never want to experience and a “how to” in case you do.

Though reeling from cyber abuse, Sue refused to become a victim. She took measures to address the damage done. Lucky for us, John Dozier, Jr. and Sue chose to write this book. We benefit because Google Bomb teaches us ways to protect ourselves and our families from Internet abuse. One invaluable section, Top Ten Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself Online, outlines how to take action immediately. The steps are preventative – think oxygen mask vs. domino effect. When your reputation is attacked online, the following can fall, one after the other: others’ trust in you, your job performance, your business, your area of expertise, your self-esteem, chances for advancement, and maybe your job. Your children may be teased or shunned because of it, and the result can be on beyond devastating. Just ask Sue.

In the end, Sue won an $11.3M lawsuit against her cyber stalker. The road was long and painful. The verdict was a landmark decision that changed the way we use the Internet. As you seek to guide and protect your children regarding Internet usage, seek to protect yourself as well. Put your own oxygen mask on first.

· Who should purchase Google Bomb?

Every person with a name and reputation which they wish to protect should purchase this book. You don’t have to be a technological titan to understand the examples provided. The take-away knowledge provides you a fighting chance to protect, and when necessary, reclaim your reputation. My adage re family online safety is: “Invest in your family’s online safety, commensurate with the value of your family.” This book’s modest price is asymmetrical to the increased value you’ll experience in your reputation safety quotient.

· Why you should purchase Google Bomb

Google Bomb is road-map clear, no missed exits, nor wrong turns, no questionable advice. It is an arrow in your quiver, so that you may defend yourself and/or prepare yourself should you have the unfortunate experience of receiving the vile ill-will of another via the social media environment in which we collectively exist – you do have a fighting chance.

· How Google Bomb touched me

Only infrequently does a book cause a reader to experience a personal visceral reaction; for me, it’s happened only once before. Google Bomb, the telling of Sue Scheff’s personal story in the recovery of her good name and reputation, is such a book, it moved me, and it will move you. Allow me to explain.

Those who know me well will have immediate understanding why a book which charts the Herculean efforts required to reclaim your good name, reputation and professional stature following the actions of a few to destroy, such resonated with me. You see, once you’ve traversed that road of false accusations, you never wish to replicate the journey again, and you’d wish it upon no one.

When it’s happening it’s surreal and unbelievable. Once the realization you aren’t dreaming hits home, you are either overwhelmed and capitulate, in effect self-declared road-kill or you take inventory of all your resources and deduce your good name and honorable reputation are the only remnants of your life worth protecting. You then take these remnants and use them to form the foundation of your reclamation efforts. Even if your first steps may feel a bit like Don Quixote tilting at windmills, persevere, what journey ever started off with every experience preordained?

I appreciated the description of the pivotal moment when Sue described the last straw, the straw which caused her to stand up and say, “Enough already.” I had complete visualization of her reaction when the miscreants who had been attacking her persona and her company, began attacking her children. I had no doubt her “mother bear” instinct to fight and protect her offspring was fully awake and it was game-on!

Unfortunately, bad things do happen to good people. You strive, perhaps seemingly altruistically to bring goodness to this world and awaken one day to find yourself surrounded by vile and unconscionable accusations. Your mindset describes the event as “stupefying,” you are now seemingly being punished for your good works. Google Bomb describes such an experience, Sue’s experience.

· What to do and how to do it

John Dozier’s insightful discussion of events, throughout the book, is clear and concise – the reader can easily understand the, “why” behind each of Sue’s actions. I found myself rereading and noting the legal and technical strategy employed as Sue’s reputation was reclaimed. I was nodding my head with great satisfaction as those wishing ill will upon Sue and her family were identified, held accountable and brought before the courts where they were ultimately held responsible and duly punished.

· Applicability for businesses and intellectual property

John’s extrapolation of his methodologies to the realm of a small, medium, or large company’s reputation and intellectual property protection is spot-on. My own book “Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost” was stolen within 60 days of publication from my publisher, and then shared via peer-to-peer networks (see my article Secrets Stolen, No Just the Intellectual Property which describes the experience). Plainly spoken, if you have intellectual property, “Have a strategy!” to protect it.

· Reputation Defense

Highlighting the good works of Michael Fertik’s Reputation Defender, was personally appreciated, as it reoriented my compass with respect to his firm – I’ll be re-engaging the company to learn more about their capabilities. My first encounter with Reputation Defender can only be described as “going sideways” and I have no doubt it was an anomalous event – I look forward to learning more from Michael or his staff, as Sue’s experiences described in Google Bomb, clearly show them to be effective.

· Google Bomb’s call to action

I agree with and wish to associate myself with the call-to-action contained in the book. We are all responsible for keeping our shared online community safe. When self-policing and self-control fail, then we do require meaningful laws availed to law enforcement and prosecutors. Laws having backbone and are easily understood and are flexible enough to anticipate evolution of technology are required. In essence our current situation is analogous to having a population center of millions without a “time-out” corner.

In my opinion, we need alignment of state and federal statutes which will hold accountable those engaging in cyber stalking, invasion of our privacy, personal impersonation and character defamation. In the United States, well meaning legislators are acting individually and from the optic of their constituent states – we need federal action. Furthermore, restraining orders need to have appropriate meat attached to their bones, with a need to integrate 21st century technologies – in the physical world 100 feet is measurable, in the virtual world, geographic borders are obscured – lets bring technological audit trails, access controlled environments and filtering into play.

It is no small task to fill the international voids which provide haven for both domestic and international criminal or malevolent individuals to operate with impunity, but instead of describing the difficulty, let’s get started. I’m all in! If we don’t all step up and contribute, then Sue’s story will be the first of many more to come.

· My personal thank you

In closing, I’d like Sue to know I’ve great personal empathy for the angst which she and her family experienced and I commend her for her display of personal courage and fortitude, from her decision to stand up and not take it any more, all the way through the sharing of her story so that others may learn from her experiences. For John, your work speaks for itself, nicely done sir.

Thank you Sue also for your good works both individually and through your Parents Universal Resource Experts (PURE); it is clear you are one of the good people, and many families no doubt are grateful beyond their ability to articulate for the assistance you provided. Thank you John for your clear explanations of the legal strategy and steps one can take to protect oneself, you’ve empowered many.

By:
Christopher Burgess
Christopher is the senior security advisor within a Fortune 100 company. He is also the co-author of Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost, Preventing Intellectual Property Theft and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century
http://www.secretsstolen.com/
Twitter: @burgessct
This reviewer paid for this book

California attorney, Adrianos Facchetti, recently reviewed Google Bomb and his comments are amazing. I am always grateful that others are finally hearing and understanding what is happening in cyberspace. It is a growing and expanding problem as small businesses are suffering, reputations tainted, and lives being ruined by a some vicious keystrokes and clicks of a mouse.

Read the outstanding reviews click here.

As the process continues, the defendant, Carey Bock aka Carey Levine aka Carey Mendel Levine is now in involuntary bankruptcy court.

The next time you think that there isn’t a price tag for Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy, think twice. If you think you have nothing to lose, think twice again. Free Speech does not condone defamation.

Read more about this landmark case, and how I fought back in my new book, Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict that Changed the Way We Use The Internet. My co-author, attorney John Dozier, will offer you practical guidance to protect yourself and how you can take steps to be proactive in owning your name and your reputation.

The reviews have been outstanding as more and more people are taking cover with Google Bomb Book.

“Google Bomb”! Where was this book last month when I could have used it?

By: Gryphen

Sue Scheff didn’t expect she’d make enemies when she founded the child and parenting advocacy organization PURE. But someone began attacking her on the Internet, posting enough defamatory statements to compel her to bring a lawsuit. She won $11.3 million in 2006.In light of what happened to me last month, and what continues to happen to other people attempting to bring out the truth concerning Palin and other GOP leaders, I thought that this might be an important book for people to purchase in order to protect themselves from future attack.

It was written by Sue Scheff and John W. Dozier, who is an expert in “Internet Law”, and specializes in representing businesses and individuals who have suffered defamatory attacks via the internet.I am going to purchase this book for my own edification and recommend to my friends, who own blogs and websites, to go out and get themselves a copy as well.There is no telling who the evil minions will go after next and we may as well be ready for them.

Google Bomb: The Untold Story of Sue Scheff and Her $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet

Are you ready to be google bombed? Why you must read Sue Scheff’s story

By Dr. Michele Borba (Parenting Expert and Today Show Contributor)

First off, a little disclosure: a few weeks ago I admit to being absolutely clueless about Sue Scheff’s infamous defamation case. (I know, I know, my head must have been buried in the sand to miss all the news coverage). When I finally did read her story I realized my ignorance was somewhat of an advantage. You see the only Sue Scheff I had known was a parent advocate, a caring friend, and a woman of impeccable integrity. Once I read the cyber nightmare she endured I knew that if this happened to a person such as Sue with such heart and strong character  it could happen anyone. It’s also exactly why you must read Google Bomb. So allow me to introduce you to my friend, Sue Scheff and describe what happened to her with hopes it will never happen to you.

Allow Me to Introduce You To My Friend, Sue Scheff 

It all started a few months ago when I began using twitter. I loved the ease of connecting and meeting new colleagues, one of whom was a woman named Sue Scheff. It didn’t take much to recognize from her posts that she cared deeply about kids, had a solid pulse on parental concerns and was always willing to offer help to those who asked. She had that “real” quality that you just couldn’t miss. I learned she had authored, Wit’s End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen, and founded a well-acclaimed organization, Parents’ Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.) which helped parents find ways to protect their children from destructive influences by educating them about the issues their family faces.

Over time our online relationship became an offline friendship. We talked frequently and in one chat Sue told me her next book, Google Bomb: The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet (with John Dozier), was about to be released. I started reading it the moment it arrived and literally couldn’t put it down. I honestly can’t recall the last time I was so intensely moved by a story. It was also the first time I knew Sue had endured what you might call a cyber-nightmare: she had been google bombed.

Google Bomb: Internet slang for a certain kind of attempt to raise the ranking of a given page in results from a Google search. (Wikipedia)

August 2003: Sue Scheff Is Google Bombed

Sue Scheff’s story began on August 2003 when her integrity was first attacked ironically on the very website she created for at-risk teens. The slam was one vicious post from a parent who Sue had tried to help. But within no time that post turned into a full-blown character assassination that went viral.  Educational articles and parent resources she wrote to help parents were suddenly laced with unspeakable descriptions defaming Sue’s character. Slanderous posts were now everywhere on the information highway and were impossible to stop, take down or erase. What’s more, if you googled Sue’s name you were detoured from her website and to dozens of porn sites. And the cyber attacks proved deadly offline as well: Sponsors pulled away from her, clients stopped calling, and friends stepped back.

Sue’s reputation as a parent advocate was smeared, her business ruined and her work for children’s destroyed. One woman’s vicious intent to destroy Sue’s credibility and character succeeded with a mere click of a computer key.

Sue’s Fight for Character and Redemption

Sue fought back to defend herself and restore her damaged reputation but at a huge cost—both physically and emotionally. In the next three years I learned she had racked up over $150,000 in legal fees, watched her organization nearly disintegrate, and developed classical symptoms of agoraphobia where Sue could barely leave her home let alone answer her phone. And then hired an attorney and endured a tough legal battle to try and reclaim her reputation.

On September 19, 2006 a Florida jury declared their own outrage and awarded Sue a landmark $11.3 million verdict. That verdict sent a strong warning that destroying lives online would not be tolerated. And right they were.

Cyber attacks have become a growing trend among adults as well as youth and those attacks are destroying lives. The first step to change is knowledge and that’s exactly why I urge you to read Google Bomb. Please read it carefully and then pass it on to others. If this could happen to Sue it could happen just as easily to anyone—including you or your family.

I was on my own person emotional roller coaster reading this book. From complete disbelief: “Is this really the same Sue Scheff?”;  to rage: “How could anyone do something like this to another human being!!!?”;  to tears: “How did she live through this?” And when I read the final page I actually stood up and cheered. I cheered Sue’s character, grit, and unwavering determination to right a terrible wrong.

Thank you, Sue for having the courage to fight back to defend your reputation and tell your tale. It’s an example to us all. 

Aristotle said years ago that the true measure of a person’s character rests in their actions. Your actions speak volumes, my friend.  

 Michele Borba is the author of 22 books including Big Book of Parenting Solutions which is now available. Follow her on Twitter @MicheleBorba

The LA Times  started last Thursday with a 4 part series on the launching of Google Bomb Book.  Today is the official release date!  Part one was the dynamic foreward by Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of Reputation Defender.  Part two is my turn, and here it is!

 Sue Scheff didn’t expect she’d make enemies when she founded the child and parenting advocacy organization PURE. But someone began attacking her on the Internet, posting enough defamatory statements to compel her to bring a lawsuit. She won $11.3 million in 2006.
In this second installment of our exclusive preview of the book “Google Bomb,” (read part 1 here) Brand X brings you Scheff’s story.

Even years later, “Sue Scheff is destroying lives…I want others to know…” still has the impact of a sucker punch I didn’t see coming from the Internet. It was August, 2003 when the first attack on my integrity appeared on a website that focused on programs for at-risk teens, the industry in which I provide services to parents via an organization I founded called PURE. The individual posting was a parent I had actually tried to help after she contacted me for assistance. So, imagine my shock when that first unexpected accusation escalated into a full-blown character assassination.

Threats were made against me and a gang mentality took hold as numerous voices began to chime in. Who were these people? Other than the initiator of the attacks and the website owner, I had no idea. Why did they seem so driven to destroy me and my organization? Again, I was clueless. And I had absolutely no idea how to make this runaway train stop. I didn’t dare make my presence known on the forum for fear of the virtual lynch mob that went after a few well-meaning supporters who tried to intervene on my behalf only to end up like road kill on the Information Highway themselves.

As I continued to watch this whole crazy thing spin beyond damage control, something just as frightening would eventually snake its way into the search engines of Google: If you typed in Sue Scheff it wasn’t my website with educational articles and resources for parents that appeared at first glance. No, because over two pages of initial Google results led to links that took viewers to sites like Sue Scheff’s Red Panties where I was the star of a pornographic discussion. Not exactly what you want your kids or parents to see. As for professional colleagues, they were targets of proximity that risked losing their own credibility unless they kept their distance.

With no other way to defend myself and restore my damaged reputation, in December, 2003, I hired an attorney, David Pollack, who filed a lawsuit in Broward County, Florida against the originator of the attacks. In the next three years I racked up over $150,000 in legal fees and saw my organization nearly disintegrate. I developed classic symptoms of agoraphobia that transformed me from an extrovert who loved working with families, to a depressed recluse who wouldn’t answer the phone and rarely left the home I had mortgaged to the hilt in order to continue litigation.

Victims of Internet defamation and cyberstalking reside in a lonely place in our society. It’s like living in a Leper Colony: Population of One. Make no mistake. This monster is an equal opportunity offender that does not discriminate on the basis of your profession, gender, color, religion, or anything else that we think might set us apart from every other person in life. From lawyers to landscapers, teens to grandparents: No one is immune.

The malicious stroke of a key has become the equivalent of a cyberbullet. Only it’s not just getting fired off into cyberspace, it’s hitting intended targets in very real, physical places. The underbelly of Internet society that aggressively pursues unsuspecting victims, and the lack of legal protection against the invisible trolls who bully and stalk at will, has received a recent spike in public awareness. Good.

We need very real repercussions for violating a reporter’s privacy in a motel room with a peep camera for mass voyeuristic consumption. We need to insist upon a civilized Internet community where good, decent people can no longer be held hostage by a vindictive ex-spouse, a mentally unbalanced customer, or some acquaintance in class that goes by the name of “anonymous.”

After nearly losing my house to pay for my day in court, and nearly losing my sanity as well as my business during the three years it took me to get there, on September 19, 2006, a jury declared their outrage with a landmark $11.3M verdict, a forceful warning that ruining lives with online attacks is wrong and will not be tolerated.

And yet I continue to be stunned by the volume of emails I receive with heartbreaking stories that are as bad, or worse, than my own. The wheels of justice plod slowly in a www.world that moves at the speed of thought, the click of a mouse. So as we continue to wait for the courts to catch up with our virtual reality, do you know what Google is saying about you?

 – Sue Scheff  and Olivia Rupprecht

Part 3 Ready to protect yourself online? OK, let’s get started

Part 4 The top 10 ways to protect yourself from e-venge

 Carey Mendel Levine (formerly Carey Bock Levine) is officially forced into involuntary bankruptcy due to the $11.3M judgment (jury verdict for damages) that was placed on her.  This is the result of her defaming me online and invading the privacy of my family and myself.  This is entered and official as of August 27, 2009.

Read about it in Google Bomb - available now through Amazon and will be in all major bookstores September 1st, 2009.

This is a strong reminder: Free speech will not condone defamation.

I was so flattered and honored to speak with Columnist and Journalist, Kathleen Parker.  She interviewed me yesterday and wrote an amazing column which included my new book book, Google Bomb, that is now available on Amazon and will be officially released on September 1st.  The endorsements and reviews have been fantastic!  There is a ground swell, and I believe we have  the making of a best seller.  The topic is timely and sizzling with the recent news on Google being forced to expose an anonymous Blogger.

Follow Google Bomb Book on Twitter @GoogleBombBook and @SueScheff

Shock Waves From the Google Bombs

By Kathleen Parker

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

When Oscar Wilde observed that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about, he could not have imagined the Internet.

The wild frontier we now know and (mostly) love called the blogosphere is a not-always-okay corral where Free Speech is armed and often dangerous.

The latest showdown is between two women — a Vogue model and an anonymous blogger — at odds over what is permissible in the name of free expression. After the blogger called Liskula Cohen a “skank,” among other things, the model demanded her identity from the blog host, Google. A New York Supreme Court judge agreed that she was entitled to the information and ordered the company to reveal her name.

Outraged, the blogger, revealed as Rosemary Port, is launching a $15 million lawsuit against Google for disclosing her identity. Google’s Andrew Pederson said that while his company sympathizes with victims of cyber-bullying, “We also take great care to respect privacy concerns and will only provide information about a user in response to a subpoena or other court order.”

Voila.

This all may seem like an inside-the-runway spat between two women who don’t like each other. As pioneering blogger and law professor Glenn Reynolds noted on Instapundit, “I never would have heard the words ‘Liskula Cohen’ and ’skank’ together if it hadn’t been for her blogger-outing litigation efforts.”

The model case isn’t insignificant, however, and raises weighty questions about privacy, anonymity and the future of e-free speech.

The problem of online defamation is hardly new, but several recent lawsuits have begun challenging the anything-goes modus operandi of the Internet. One of the most famous dates to 2006, when Sue Scheff won a staggering $11.3 million verdict against a woman who had posted hundreds of defamatory comments about Scheff and her company, which counsels the parents of troubled teens.

After years of torment that included stalkers and death wishes, Scheff was able to prove that her reputation and business suffered as a result of the defendant’s comments. In her new book, “Google Bomb,” due for release Sept. 1 and co-authored with attorney John W. Dozier Jr., Scheff tells the story of her lawsuit and offers advice to others similarly defamed online.

“Google bomb” is Internet slang for attempting to raise the ranking of a given page during a Google search. The popularity of a page may not reflect the page’s relationship to truth, but it may be popular for other reasons. Let’s just say, nasty sells.

Defusing Google bombs isn’t much fun unless you’re a computer geek or have no preferable ways of spending your time. To keep your online profile positive and prominent, you have to blog, tweet and maintain Web sites — or hire someone to do it for you. Scheff says she resents having to do these things, but, “if you don’t own your own name, someone else will.”

Scheff considers herself lucky because she was able to hire an attorney as well as an Internet monitoring company, ReputationDefender, that manages her online persona. Others, hundreds of whom write her each week, aren’t so fortunate. In one example, a wedding photographer lost his business when a single unhappy bride went ‘zilla and trashed him online.

“No one is immune,” says Scheff. And, just because you’re not personally active on the Internet doesn’t mean that your persona isn’t online — not necessarily in a good way. The Internet has unleashed that part of ourselves that we used to keep under wraps. Dark thoughts, like the trolls of Mordor, can now surface and thrive by the light of day.

The freedom granted by anonymity and a virtual audience may have been a boon to democracy, affording everyone a voice, but it has been a plague on decency. Inhibition, we lament, is an undervalued virtue.

Scheff’s case and the Cohen incident suggest that a new level of accountability, largely missing from personal blogs, may be in the offing. “What you type today can haunt you tomorrow,” says Scheff. “People need to know that if you use your mouse and keypad to harm others, there is a price tag.”

Harm is the operative word. Although Scheff was able to prove material losses, Cohen likely gained from her brief tenure as a victim. In fact, she has dropped her lawsuit and forgiven the blogger.

No one likes being bashed online or elsewhere — and public people are familiar with the experience. But even Scheff thinks that in the absence of quantifiable defamation, anonymity deserves protection. As Google and the courts slug it out, Cohen did manage to render an oft-ignored lesson in bold italics: Think before you type.

Or else someone may want more than a penny for your thoughts.

According to Wikipedia: Google Bomb (n) or “link bomb”: Internet slang for a certain kind of attempt to raise the ranking of a given page in results from a Google search.

What damage can it do? Major! As a victim and survivor of a Google Bomb, I will share with you that a few vicious keystrokes and clicks of a mouse - your good name can be trashed, slimed and literally ruined virtually.  Your 20 year reputable business can be destroyed in a matter of 20 minutes from this type of activity.

Prior writing my book, I was clueless about Google Bombs, but very familiar with Internet Defamation. I never realized this monster had a name until we searched for a book title.

Whether you are a teacher or a principal, a lawyer or a landscaper, a truck driver or a doctor, a stay-at-home mom or career woman, teens to grandparents – no one is immune to Google Bombs. You may have an unsatisfied client, disgruntled customer, student that didn’t like their grade, a friend turned foe or went through a divorce and your once soul mate is now your adversary. The Internet doesn’t discriminate, learn to maintain and protect your name, business, kids, and family online.

The Internet has been considered an educational tool and an informational highway, now it is being used as a legal lethal weapon. I believe in free speech and the First Amendment; however it will not condone Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy. I have countless numbers of emails from victims of Cyber slander, it is a growing problem that needs to be addressed and awareness needs to be raised.

Years ago I went through a very trying time, when I realized I was being attacked online. I fought back legally and won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages over $11M for Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy. $5M of this verdict was awarded for punitive damages – meant to punish. The jury read through pages (literally tons of posts) and listened to testimony to determine that what happened to me needed to send a strong message.

In my latest book, Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet, you will read many of the ugly posts (anti-semantic, sexual, death wishes, and more). You will also go behind the scenes of the legal road, as well as practical guidance prevent this from happening to you. My attorney, David Pollack vindicated me legally; however the Internet was still full of slime. That is when I turned to Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of ReputationDefender who worked diligently to successfully help me. Back in 2006 online management services were only starting up, and I was fortunate the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

As a writer for the Examiner on parenting issues, please take note that more colleges are checking your child’s name when their applications are received. Furthermore, even more employers are surfing search engines prior employing applicants. It is critical we educate our children and teens that what they post today may end up haunting them tomorrow! Be an educated parent.
 

Do you know what lurks online?

Internet Safety has become a priority concern for many parents. Whether you are worried about predators online, or your child’s social networking; don’t forget about your child’s (especially teens) virtual image.

Today more and more colleges and employers are using your name or your child’s name in a “Google Search Box.” They may use other search engines, but Google seems to be the trend and most frequently used.

Years ago I woke up to find myself in the middle of a Cyber-War that I literally thought was simply a nightmare and what I was seeing/reading online had to be a mistake.

It wasn’t! If you can imagine the most horrible things being said about you, including sexual innuendos, anti-semantic remarks, and worse, you will be living what I went through.

My never before told story is finally told in my upcoming book, Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet (Health Communications, Inc. September 2009). People that have reviewed this book are simply stunned, shocked and amazed what can happen to you if you are not aware of your online presence or have a cyberstalker.

Google Bomb will not only go behind the scenes of my 2+ year court battle that vindicated me with a landmark $11.3M jury verdict for damages done to me online (Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy), it will also offer you practical guidance.  Have you been slimed online?

What does this have to do with parenting? Your child will be applying to colleges someday, or filling out job applications. Are they aware of what Google is saying about them? For that matter, do you know what Google is saying about you?

Remember, it can take 20 years to build a solid reputation about you, and only 20 minutes for it to be destroyed with evil keystrokes. Whether you have a disgruntled client, a friend turned foe or a relative that didn’t like the reading of a will – you need to be prepared to protect your cyber profile.

From students to teachers, lawyers to landscapers, truck drivers to doctors, stay-at-home moms to career women, teens to grandparents  – no one is immune to what lurks online.

For more info: Google Bomb Book, Sue Scheff, Amazon, ReputationDefender Blog, Wit’s End Book, EpicCenter Wired.

 Also read at the Examiner.com