These websites not only invade privacy, they also damage a person's reputation. Women who have seen themselves on these websites will face difficulties landing a job. Spreading gossip seems so easy to do over a click of a mouse, while victims of these websites go through extensive efforts to have the posting removed. Yet, will the defamation ever really be replaced?
Sadly, people still find these online gossip columns to be entertaining, guilty indulgence. Likewise, there are temptations to gossip about people you hate, since it's less confrontational and your identity is concealed. It's an encouragement to those web attackers. No wonder web bullies still exist.
Still, victims today are fighting hard to shut down these websites and find their trash talker. While commenters can be sued, they don't have the power to take down posts. On the other hand, websites are not liable for commenters' behaviors or actions. This is because they are protected by the terms and conditions of their online communities. All the power lies in the hands of the web owner, since he/she has rights to all content within the community.
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So how do we battle against these websites? Stop giving hate-spewers an audience.
How to protect yourself from online gossips?
1. Don’t post Girls Gone Wild-worthy shots of yourself on My Space, Facebook or anywhere they can be copied. On photo-sharing sites, use privacy settings.
2. Is someone saying malicious things about you online? E-mail a polite request to the site’s webmaster, asking that the offensive material be deleted.
3. You might consider calling in the pros, like ReputationDefender for about $15 a month. But, be aware: Web gossip is so hard to control that there are no guarantees.
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Unfortunately, people will always be on the lookout for salacious and demeaning material, particularly for celebrities. Magazines like US, OK and People make such gossip mainstream, so it's no wonder that online communities are a natural place for people to continue such discussions. Sadly, too, some women invite such attention. I didn't know that sites like ReputationDefender existed. If you need to pay to defend your reputation, though, maybe a major attitude adjustment would work more effectively.
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