Free Expression on the Internet
Jarret Cohen
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: Opinion
Now, consider the fact that virtually all of the complaints and concerns about content on AutoAdmit revolve around the ramifications in Google searches.
One possible solution to this problem is in lobbying Google to allow individuals to attach responses to Google search results for their name. This would allow for private citizens, upon verifying their identities and perhaps signing an affidavit, to appeal to Google in a streamlined fashion and provide explanations for prospective employers, dates, and other interested parties for search results that they believe are damaging to their reputations.
In fact one company, Naymz.com, provides a similar service that gives individuals the opportunity to purchase free Google AdWords ads with their own name as a keyword, ensuring that at least one "good" link will appear on the first page of Google results. By responding to bad speech with more speech, one circumvents the clash of egos and the legitimate slippery slope concern that would worry any conscientious web operator. Michael Fertik's "letter-writing campaign" becomes largely unnecessary. The private individual, then, is empowered to deal directly with the mechanism that they believe is giving employers and others in their lives a negative impression.
I understand that some will accuse me of trying to "pass the buck" to Google. I concede that my role is not terribly different than Google's in the respect that I maintain a system that does not publish but, more accurately, republishes third-party content on its own domain. And by no means am I suggesting that Google has done anything wrong. But unlike AutoAdmit, I believe Google possesses the resources, the web search hegemony, the social influence, and the relatively uncontested objectivity that would enable it to more successfully manage such a system.
Of course then, I suppose, nobody would need ReputationDefender anymore.
Jarret Cohen is the owner and administrator of AutoAdmit.com.
One possible solution to this problem is in lobbying Google to allow individuals to attach responses to Google search results for their name. This would allow for private citizens, upon verifying their identities and perhaps signing an affidavit, to appeal to Google in a streamlined fashion and provide explanations for prospective employers, dates, and other interested parties for search results that they believe are damaging to their reputations.
In fact one company, Naymz.com, provides a similar service that gives individuals the opportunity to purchase free Google AdWords ads with their own name as a keyword, ensuring that at least one "good" link will appear on the first page of Google results. By responding to bad speech with more speech, one circumvents the clash of egos and the legitimate slippery slope concern that would worry any conscientious web operator. Michael Fertik's "letter-writing campaign" becomes largely unnecessary. The private individual, then, is empowered to deal directly with the mechanism that they believe is giving employers and others in their lives a negative impression.
I understand that some will accuse me of trying to "pass the buck" to Google. I concede that my role is not terribly different than Google's in the respect that I maintain a system that does not publish but, more accurately, republishes third-party content on its own domain. And by no means am I suggesting that Google has done anything wrong. But unlike AutoAdmit, I believe Google possesses the resources, the web search hegemony, the social influence, and the relatively uncontested objectivity that would enable it to more successfully manage such a system.
Of course then, I suppose, nobody would need ReputationDefender anymore.
Jarret Cohen is the owner and administrator of AutoAdmit.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mr. Jinx
posted 4/12/07 @ 9:17 PM EST
Very thoughtful article. It's amazing that despite the filth on AutoAdmit, you guys still come off as infinitely more reasonable and intelligent than the clowns at ReputationDefender. (Continued…)
Post a Comment