Tag Archives: revenge porn

Crisis Management, , , , , , , ,
Right to be Forgotten on Google

Many people are concerned with the volume of slanderous content about people on the internet…including websites that publish such material and then extort victims to pay to have it removed.

In 2021, Google announced plans to change its search algorithm to prevent predatory websites, which operated under domains like BadGirlReport.date and PredatorsAlert.us, from appearing in the list of results when someone searches for a person’s name.

In Google Seeks to Break Vicious Cycle of Online Slander, the article that broke this news, Kashmir Hill and Daisuke Wakabayashi, tech reporters for The New York Times, reported:

Google also recently created a new concept it calls “known victims.” When people report to the company that they have been attacked on sites that charge to remove posts, Google will automatically suppress similar content when their names are searched for. “Known victims” also includes people whose nude photos have been published online without their consent, allowing them to request suppression of explicit results for their names.

These are examples of personal information that Google will remove if you are unable to have a website remove it on request:

Non-consensual explicit or intimate personal images from Google

Involuntary fake pornography from Google

Content about you on sites with exploitative removal practices from Google

Select financial, medical, and national ID information from Google

“Doxxing” content – content exposing contact information with an intent to harm

Google may also remove personal information that creates significant risks of identity theft, financial fraud, or other specific harms.

If you believe your request meets one of the guidelines mentioned above, you can make a removal request at Google’s form, found here.

 
 
Internet Legal Issues, , , , , ,

‘In the age of doxxing, revenge porn, and misogynist trolls, this book is required reading. . .” Esquire, Best Books of Summer 2019

Carrie Goldberg is a victims’ rights attorney specializing in Internet-related harassment (and much worse).  Since she launched her practice in 2013, she has become a major force in the legal industry. She is also an outspoken critic of the tech companies that enable such behavior.

In August, her first book, Nobody’s Victim, will be published by Little, Brown. In it, she examines a hidden world many people don’t know exists — one of online stalking, blackmail, and other disturbing issues. It tells the story of how she became determined to fight back and is now leading a revolution.

Nobody’s Victim invites readers to join Carrie Goldberg on the front lines of that war. Her battleground is the courtroom; her crusade is to transform clients from victims into warriors.

Riveting and essential, Nobody’s Victim is a bold and timely analysis of victim protection in the era of the Internet. This book is an urgent warning of a coming crisis, a predictor of imminent danger, and a weapon to take back control and protect ourselves — both online and off.

Order an advance copy on Amazon.

 

 
 
Online reputation management, , , , , ,

Teenagers are fluent social media users. Many are adept at managing their online reputations and are careful about what they reveal online.

But social media leads some into uncomfortable situations that can harm their future opportunities. As a parent, relative, neighbor, sibling or peer, you can help them avoid that.

These sometimes harrowing predicaments can cause embarrassment, shame and fear, and make teens feel helpless or trapped in a situation that can spiral out of their control – and even endanger them. Carelessness, as well as common adolescent traits like not knowing how to handle a crowd situation or being overly trusting, can contribute to such issues.

Common issues they experience include:

–          Joking about harming a teacher or peer in an email or text. Schools increasingly have rules that require immediate suspension as well as contacting the police when such material comes to light.

–          Exchanging, taking or being the recipient of nude photographs or videos that go viral, being published on many online sites without their permission. This can lead to a criminal investigation, even if they were not directly involved in taking them, but were only present when they were. It can also result in what is known as “revenge porn.”

–          Cyberbullying. The FBI publishes resources online to help educate potential victims about it. There are many other online resources, as well.  One comprehensive such site is the Anti-Defamation League’s, which has extensive guides to help teens deflect and otherwise navigate cyberbullying.

If you have teenagers, or children approaching adolescence, visiting such sites and learning about the issues is the first step in communicating to them that you can always be approached if they have a concern and need help. If they fear you will be judgmental, are not available or will become angry, they will avoid letting you know if it does happen to them. If you feel they may be a victim and aren’t discussing the situation, consider whether they would be more comfortable speaking to another family member, a trusted counselor or law enforcement professionals. It is not an exaggeration to say you may save their life or future opportunities by doing so.