Stan Beer
Monday, 29 October 2007 14:32
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 2
What do you do if someone writes something bad about you or your company on a social networking site? Whatever you do, don't try to sue the owners of the site because you're likely to merely compound your problems, according to a senior researcher.
Steve Hodgkinson, research director at UK-based
Ovum, believes go after social networking sites is akin to courting
disaster.
If initiating court action against the owner of a social networking
site, this would be seen as an unreasonable action by hundreds of vocal
bloggers around the world - a threat to the freedom of digital speech,"
says Hodgkinson.
"People who had no interest in the company or the supposed failings of
its products turned out to have a very big interest in its actions in
attempting to use the courts to influence what can and cannot be said
in the context of social networking. The interactive nature of the
media enabled a rapid and effective backlash.
While he did not mention the case by name, Hodgkinson may well have
been talking about the recent case in Australia, where accounting
software firm 2Clix tried to sue the founder of the popular
telecommunications forum Whirlpool because of disparaging comments
posted by users of the software. The story subsequently made headlines
around the world and an outcry ensued forcing 2Clix (now in
administration) to withdraw its legal suit.
So what whould one do if one gets lambasted publicly on the Web? Roll
with the punch, counter it with a well crafted rebuttal and let search
engines do the rest, advises Mr Hodgkinson.
"Respond to the critical comments directly and positively -
acknowledging them as valid feedback - and providing either a factual
and constructive rebuttal or indicating what the company is doing about
addressing the issues raised," he says.
