Web Takedown requests gone wild
Shining a spotlight on something that you did not want to have seen by issuing a web take down notice is becoming a standard way to keep information from not being buried. Over the last year, from DECSS all the way through to WikiLeaks, the moment someone tries to do a takedown, the data exponentially explodes in relationship to availability, discussion, as well as a “negative event” in relationship to corporate PR.
The content does not matter, nor does the context of the issue; it is the simple act of trying to get the information out of public hands in the world of instantaneous transmission of information. What would have been a largely unnoticed chunk of data, ignored and languishing on some server somewhere, the simple of the take down shines the spotlight on the subject. That spot light magnifies the importance of the data. If it is being issued a takedown notice, then it must be important, so we will discuss it. We will not only discuss it, we will copy it and make sure that it stays available.
From a corporate PR view point, it is readily apparent that while the takedown notice might be something you want to do. The question is how to manage the issue if the company did not issue a takedown notice. What is the likelihood that someone is going to read the data in the first place? PR can be spun to discredit the information while it is still on line, call the data “lies and rumors” that are unsubstantiated, or rather than a discredit campaign, try to turn it into a positive spin over the lifetime of the issue.
The company could claim that they are aware of the issue, and have taken solid steps to correct the issues; here is how we fixed it. Remove the fangs from the data; make your company look more transparent and willing to discuss issues that might negatively influence the company.
What is mystifying to anyone dealing with the outcome of a takedown, knowing the amount of publicity that will be what has become the normal outcome of a takedown notice that companies are not getting this?
Take down’s shine a light on information you want to bury, if you issue the take down notice the issue gets magnified, if you acknowledge the data, like Dell and Best buy did, state the steps you are taking to fix the issue, and openly discuss it, the information gets buried, no one cares, it is not a “scandal” of the same nature of trying to shore up the takedown.
Figure this one out, transparency will help you bury information in the general background noise level of the internet, takedowns shine a spot light on data and issues magnifying the issue beyond proportion.
Learn this lesson.
This entry was inspired by Baseline Mag. Thank you.
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