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Michaela Ocean Photography

When social networking sites are being used for good – they are truly amazing. We’ve seen business deals done, old friends reconnected, new companies formed, millions and billions of dollars raised for good causes…to name a few.  But, when social networking sites are being used for bad – in this case, as a tool to publicly shame, bully or harm other people – we have a problem.

We believe that the hosts of these sites need to take immediate action.  Think about it!  If you were hosting a party, and one of your guests was harassing and abusing another in your living room, you would send the bad guests packing, right?  Zero tolerance!  Websites and internet communities should do everything they can to stop internet vigilantism and cyber bullying.  But how?

Scout Moderation couldn’t be more relevant to solving the problem.  What would Scout Moderation’s solutions be?  Here’s a list of the ways that our services can help!

• We are the eyes and ears on your site 24/7.
• Scout moderators can quickly identify abusive users and take action according to your Terms of Service.
• Bullying, threats and any form of violence, hatred or harassment will take the highest priority.
• Scout moderators will unpublish hate messages swiftly BEFORE they tarnish your brand.

]]> http://www.scoutmoderation.com/2010/05/website-moderation-and-libel-part-2-a-terrible-example-of-why-moderation-is-crucial/feed/ 0 http://www.scoutmoderation.com/2010/04/website-moderation-and-libel-part-1-a-terrible-example-of-why-moderation-is-crucial/ http://www.scoutmoderation.com/2010/04/website-moderation-and-libel-part-1-a-terrible-example-of-why-moderation-is-crucial/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:33:02 +0000 Scout http://www.scoutmoderation.com/?p=220

Michaela Ocean Photography

Merriam-Webster defines LIBEL as:
1. A written defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression;
2. a) A statement or representation published with just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt; b) defamation of a person by written or representational means; c) the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious or obscene writings or pictures; d) the act, tort or crime of publishing such libel.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the recent story of Phoebe Prince, a young girl that committed suicide as the result of bullying from her peers.  The story is heartbreaking and shoves the issue of bullies into the media spotlight.  We can only hope that some good can come out of this tragic story, that other lives will be saved and protected.

But there’s another issue that’s surfaced: website moderation.  Besides keeping the site clean from any continued negative attacks on Phoebe (which unbelievably have continued), social networking sites are also moderating for any libelous comments about her tormenters.  In defense of Phoebe and in their outrage, the community has posted threats to her tormentors on public message boards which could put any news site/message boards in a libelous position.  In one instance, the information was incorrect and a local woman who shared the same last name as one of the bullies had her address and phone number posted.  This innocent woman soon became the target of vicious taunts and death threats.

I work on the moderating team for a major online news site, and so far, we’ve unpublished many comments that list the bullies’ addresses, personal info on their parents, death threats, slanderous comments aimed at the victim and her family, links to libelous websites created under the names of the accused bullies, obscenity-laced taunts and other hate messages aimed at the bullies.  They’ve been named the “Mean Girls” of South Hadley High School.  We’re seeing many users who are posting the information on unmoderated sites, and then linking back to our clients’ sites where these posts are promptly being unpublished.

This horrible incident has demonstrated yet another reason why site moderation is critical.  But it also opens another debate: Our work protects the website and it protects Phoebe, the bullies and their families…but does it protect the public?  We’ll tackle this in Part 2…stay tuned.

iStock - oonal

These articles are full of worthy, important information, but they speak to small situations. They help the small business owner or the individual. So what happens when the online business or brand is much bigger – a company like a Sony, a brand like Coke, corporate spaces and big news sites?

These corporations exist in a huge social media space that allows a great volume of user generated content. From their own chatrooms, blogs and interactive web experiences to the seemingly uncontrolled  landscapes of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Digg, YouTube…we could go on and on. How do you know the content your users are contributing is legal, appropriate etc?  How do you enforce your community rules without censoring people?

First, have your eyes and ears open. Scout Moderation helps you do this with listening tools and a team of professionals that are your eyes and ears – handling problems, addressing issues, giving you the information so that you can take action and help unhappy customers or ‘trespassers’ find resolution.

Second, don’t just sit back and let it happen, be part of the experience. We’ll keep you in the know about everything that’s being said about you, your brand and your company, and then it is time for action. Will you share helpful information on your blog? Respond to gripes via your own Twitter account?

Dell has done this successfully. It started when their batteries were exploding and lighting computers on fire. They could have gone down in flames, but they were listening to what people were saying and they immediately took to their blog and took action. By listening and then communicating, they literally saved their company.

Listen, moderate, communicate and flourish.

Amazon.com

Cover of Trust Agents
by Chris Brogan & Julien Smith

Last October, after reading Trust Agents, I posted my review on Amazon.com.  Since then, I find I’ve cracked it open many times.  Today I noticed the personal inscription by Chris Brogan and was reminded of how Chris took the time to chat with every person waiting in line to meet him.   Just as he advises his readers to build relationships and deliver value, he took the moment to build a little relationship with each and every one of us.

——————–

My review: I’m a social media newbie, just starting up a small business and trying to figure out the whole social media space. This book is helping me review my whole thinking process to include the idea that even though I’m a small business, I can use the same tools that large corporations are using and benefit in the same way. The ideas in the book gave me just what I needed, a practical understanding of how to start. Chris’s fiery enthusiasm for social media and how to use it comes through every page in a way you won’t forget.

It’s like checking the fridge. Chris Brogan stocks it full of ideas to get you started and you can choose what you want to take out? Ahh, there’s some good advice about being `Agent Zero’, that’ll be good. Gotta get more of Chapter 7′s `How the Web Helps Create Democracy’. Hmmm, what’s that way in back, behind the inspirational section on `Gatejumping’ and `Making your own Game’, looks like some old `Don’t be that Guy’…I’ll stay away from that…maybe the dog will eat it.

Frontier Scout Calamity Jane

The internet is the new Frontier, but unlike the Wild West, it is limitless.  There are countless people, groups and websites – sure we could count them today, but the number will just be bigger tomorrow.  The boundaries don’t lie where we can see them, like where California became the Pacific Ocean.  And the boundaries, well, they aren’t really boundaries as technology continues to expand at an accelerated rate.

This is exciting!  The opportunities for business, for reaching customers around the globe and expanding your empire grow with it.  But it’s also a little scary – I mean, there’s so much, how do you keep track of it all, how do you keep track of what people are saying about you, how do you keep track of your brand?

Back in the day, scouts were sent out to explore, to cruise the land and look for trouble.  Basically, they made sure that everything was safe ‘out there’ before the rest of the company traveled through.

We are your scouts.  We look, listen and watch all over the web.  Monitoring your brand, making sure complaints are handled professionally and quickly, keeping a positive environment in the social sphere of your slice of the internet.  We take care of it all so that you can concentrate on what you know best – your business.

A few years ago, Twitter didn’t even exist.  Today, you’ll have a hard time finding someone who isn’t on Facebook.  These social media sites move fast.  They offer a platform to connect with and learn from your customers, but you need to be present in order to engage them.  That’s where Scout can help.

We’ll make sure that you’re aware of what’s happening on social media sites where your brand has a home.  We monitor the relevant conversations and posts so you’re never “out of the loop”.  Taking it one step further, we can also help you figure out the best way to use social media when communicating with customers.

Nobody likes a troll.  If you run an online community where abuse is a problem, Scout will have it cleaned up and reclaimed in no time.

You’ve spent time and energy to build a standout brand, don’t let your internet presences take away from it!  Your brand is a valuable asset, and its reputation is important to us.  We’ll keep watch to make sure users don’t abuse or mislead what your company stands for.  We understand that there is a difference between censorship and community-building moderation.

Not every site is meant to be around forever.  Micro-sites for brief campaigns are a great example of this.  If you’ve got a promotional site for fresh brands or any other short term project with user input, we’ve got you covered.

No matter the size of the site, Scout can scale to meet your needs.  Have something in mind that isn’t listed here?  We’re always open to new and exciting possibilities.  Get in touch with us and share the details, and we’ll see what we can do!

Does your site target visitors from all over the world?  Scout has the connections to handle a number of languages, ensuring that civility has no communication barrier.