We’re in a WSJ article today that touches upon our encounter with Reputation Defender, a company clients hire to go around sending turgid pleas to mean websites for posting factual information already reported in mainstream media publications:

ReputationDefender also sent a takedown request to Consumerist, a Gawker Media blog that had written about a man who was briefly jailed for harassment after repeatedly calling online travel agent Priceline.com Inc. for a refund. The letter asked the blog to remove or alter the archived post, saying it was “outdated and disturbing” to its client. Consumerist editor Ben Popken blasted the request with a profanely titled entry, calling it an attempt at censorship. “It’s not like we’re spreading libel,” he said. “They were trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube.”

ReputationDefender’s Mr. Fertik said the company is no longer sending letters to irreverent blogs like Consumerist, which may be more likely to mock the company’s efforts. “We are no longer taking those kinds of risks with those kinds of outlets,” he said.

Always irreverent, never irrelevant, that’s our motto. — BEN POPKEN

Firms Tidy Up Clients’ Bad Online Reputations [WSJ]

PREVIOUSLY:
Ronnie Segev & ReputationDefender Can Eat A Dick
Priceline Has Customer Arrested for Diligent Refund Attempt

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