Once you’ve opened the Pandora’s box that is the Internet, can you slam it shut and reclaim your privacy? Or, are you doomed to watch the ghosts of tweets past haunt the web and compromise your reputation? The question has launched a booming new industry in the realm of online reputation monitoring and repair.
“The Internet is architected in such a way that it’s hard for an individual to make a dent,” said Reputation Defender’s director of public relations Leslie Hobbs.
Demand for online reputation management could continue to escalate thanks to tools that make it easier to ferret out even the most obscure information. Stradtman describes these “big data” tools as “Google on steroids,” adding that they will make the idea of a needle in a haystack disappear. As it becomes easier for anyone to mine the Internet for specific details, both businesses and individuals will face greater challenges in keeping information private.
Lea Terry May 2014, www.consumereagle.com