Online work comment
February 22, 2010 1:13 PM   Subscribe

A past employer started a blog. Several previous employees have started their own sub-blogs and one made a comment about me, using my full name. It wasn't necessarily a negative comment, but he was resentful of me supposedly forcing him to do something which was part of his job. I wasn't the person responsible for making him do anything, so the statement is not true. I'm puzzled because I had a very friendly, cordial relationship with this person, but whatever. I'm wondering how I should handle asking the company to remove the statement. I'm now working in a different field and I'm not sure how this statement about me will affect future customers. TIA.
posted by anonymous to Human Relations (5 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
If, as you say, it "...wasn't necessarily a negative comment..." I would let sleeping dogs lie. I would continue to monitor the site and make sure that nothing negative or harmful is said, but you do not need people making further comments because they know they've touched a nerve. In time, they will move on to other targets or other subjects.

If, on the other hand, you feel that this comment is seriously damaging to your reputation, you should write to the CEO of the past employer, state the reasons while you feel the blog comment is derogatory and ask that it be taken down. If they do not take it down, decide whether it is worth your time, money and reputation to hire an attorney to pursue the matter further.
posted by Old Geezer at 1:22 PM on February 22, 2010


I would start by a) emailing the poster and asking nicely, "Hey, can you anonymize that a bit?" Don't get into the drama of the history, just ask to change the name or something; then b) if that doesn't work, as many have noted in the past, HR is there to protect the company interests: email HR and tell them that there is a potentially defamatory posting about you. They will likely over-react to your benefit.
posted by rhizome at 1:25 PM on February 22, 2010 [8 favorites]


Don't let sleeping dogs lie, as this can affect your reputation. It's your full name.

You need to email them and request that they remove the comment; be sure to approach the highest point in the organization if you can (if you approach the CEO, be sure to CC his/her EA, and in the email be sure to say you will follow up with a phone call within two days).

In your email, state that "after speaking with my lawyer, s/he has advised me to approach you to request that you remove all reference to me from your website", even if you haven't spoken to a lawyer. Mentioning a lawyer will make them take you seriously.
posted by KokuRyu at 1:47 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]


I would start by a) emailing the poster.

Quite correct! 99 times out of 100 people respond by saying "Oh! I didn't think about that at all!"

People have no idea that the Internet is public, it's so insane. Be brief, polite, breezy. It's no big deal to ask for such a thing! Totally within your rights to have a VERY minor confrontation on this.

And yes: after that kind and brief direct manner is exhausted, you are welcome to go nuclear.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 1:49 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]


It's a faux pas to mention a coworker by full name on a blog, so it would not be rude for you to ask to have it removed.
posted by kenliu at 5:51 PM on February 22, 2010


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