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Reputation Communications: Reputation Risks Facing High Net Worth Families

Reputation Communications: Reputation Risks Facing High Net Worth Families

3-Part Briefing, August 5, 12 & 19, 2020

A three-part series of live, 30-minute briefings with reputation management, Internet law, investigations, due diligence and risk mitigation experts will take place on August 5, 12 and 19, 2020. Registration is free and may be made via the links below. The program will be held on Zoom.

Focusing on reputation risk facing high-net-worth families (HNWFs), the program is hosted by Reputation Communications and moderated by its founder and CEO, Shannon Wilkinson.

Participants include Don Aviv, President of Interfor International; Tim Murphy, President & CEO of Consortium Networks; David Niccolini, Co-Founder of TorchStone Global; Christine Rafin, Associate General Counsel – Media and Compliance at American Media in New York City; Dan Shefet, Individual Specialist to UNESCO, and Adviser to the Council of Europe on the Internet Ombudsman;  and an expert in Internet law; and Arun Rao, President of IGI.

“In a digital world, everyone faces reputation risk,” says Shannon Wilkinson. “But high-net-worth families and individuals face special scrutiny and a dangerous loss of privacy both online and off. Online personal and reputational attacks, threats and disparagement, unfounded allegations, disinformation campaigns, impersonation schemes, disturbing online threats, extortion, and harassment are some examples. These risks can impact all areas of their professional and personal life. Having served victims of such issues for a decade, I want to provide HNWFs with my own insight, as well as credible information from colleagues who are experienced in helping such families.”

Program details follow.

Wednesday, August 5: Alert: The Reputation Risk Setting Now.

Shannon Wilkinson will introduce the program and summarize the types of reputation risks HNWFs face, including generational ones, from family leaders to teens and college students.

David Niccolini will provide an overview of the current environment contributing to the aforementioned threats, examples of the types of risks HNWFs encounter now, and the importance of situational awareness.

Tim Murphy will introduce cybersecurity threats that are increasingly common and unique to HNWFs, including account takeover and ransomware attacks.

Click here to register for the August 5th briefing.

Wednesday, August 12: Alarm: Your Internet Legal Rights in the U.S. & Abroad.

Shannon Wilkinson will introduce the program and highlight the differences between American Internet and privacy laws and those in Europe and other countries.

Christine Rafin will summarize why consumers have so few Internet legal rights in the U.S., and address common questions relating to the removal of negative, defamatory and/or infringing material from the Internet.

Dan Shefet will explain how the “Right to Be Forgotten” law operates in Europe and Argentina; provide examples of the types of content that is removable on Google; and describe the privacy laws in Europe, which are far stronger than in the U.S. He will briefly address similar online privacy laws in other countries.

Click here to register for the August 12 briefing.

Wednesday, August 19: Adapt: Double-Due Diligence & Expert Intel.

Shannon Wilkinson will introduce the program and why the issues of due diligence and investigations are relevant in high-net-worth reputation risk cases.

Don Aviv will provide inside examples of the types of threats that due diligence has revealed, especially on the personal rather than organizational side of HNWFs.

Arun Rao will share insight into the types of reputation risk issues facing prominent public figures like elected officials, candidates for public office, entertainers, and high-profile executives. Key issues include investigating and addressing false allegations and “fake news.”

Click here to register for the August 19 briefing.

About the Speakers

Don Aviv: As president of Interfor International, Don has managed, led, and coordinated teams on thousands of due diligence and investigative cases, many with complex aspects and multinational reaches. He directly supports chief security officers and general counsel of some of the world’s leading corporations, financial institutions, and family offices.

Tim Murphy: Tim is a recognized leader in global cybersecurity and intelligence. In his previous role as Deputy Director of the FBI, and now as CEO of Consortium Networks, a cyber network and solutions firm, his experience covers all operational aspects of counterintelligence, criminal, cyber, and intelligence programs. He has experience in ensuring the technological and cybersecurity of companies, high-net-worth individuals and their family offices.

David Niccolini: David Niccolini co-founded TorchStone in 2010. The company has won numerous awards and has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, the Washingtonian, and the PBS News Hour. Over the years, David has directed security, consulting, and investigative operations across six continents on behalf of families (to include Forbes 400) and multinational corporations (to include Fortune 50).

Christine Rafin: As Associate General Counsel – Media and Compliance at American Media, LLC, Christine advises on defamation, privacy, intellectual property and publicity issues for a wide range of brands, including podcasts, online publications and magazines from National Enquirer to US Weekly. Christine has extensive experience representing high net worth individuals in federal and state civil, commercial and regulatory matters. She is an expert in the rapidly-evolving fields of Internet law, digital marketing law, and data privacy and security law.

Arun Rao: As the President of IGI, Arun draws on his experience at the Department of Justice, the White House, and the New York County District Attorney’s Office to advise clients on crisis and risk management. Arun and his team provide concierge-level assistance to elected officials, candidates for office, entertainers, and other prominent individuals facing reputational attacks, threats, and disparagement.  As Principal of The Lenzner Firm (IGI’s affiliated law firm), Arun also provides counsel on potential legal remedies.

Dan Shefet: A French lawyer based in Paris, Dan Shefet holds a Philosophy Degree and a Law Degree from the University of Copenhagen. Specializing in European Law, Competition Law as well as Human Rights in general and in the IT environment in particular, he is a noted public speaker on IT Law, Data Privacy and Human Rights on the internet. In 2014 he founded the Association for Accountability and Internet Democracy (AAID) the main objective of which is to introduce a general principle of accountability on the internet.

Shannon Wilkinson: As the founder of Reputation Communications, one of the first firms in the online reputation management space, Shannon has advised numerous high-net-worth clients, including CEOs, business leaders, luxury brands, public figures, philanthropists, Forbes 400 and Forbes 500 clients, entertainment industry icons, FinTech leaders, tech founders, venture capitalists, and others. Reputation Communications is based in New York.

 
 
Crisis Management, , ,
Police chief's crisis management

Since the COVID-19 health crisis has swept the world, some elected officials have become famous because of their effective crisis communications response. People from all over the country and even different countries tune in to hear from Mayors and Governors that are not their own.

These are three traits these leaders share:

  • They are continuously sharing critical available data with the public.
  • They are using simple, straightforward language to deliver that data.
  • They are delivering their messaging in a setting that conveys trust, power, and leadership.

How can police chiefs take a page out of their playbook? The Hetty Group, interviewed me for my  top 3 tips, including communicating regularly and often; going virtual and why the optics matter. Read the article here.

 
 
Crisis Management, , , , , , ,
Reputation Diligence

This month I sat down with RANE Network for a webinar discussing the evolving landscape of reputational diligence. It highlighted the ways organizations can mitigate the risk to their brand.

          We all agreed that the landscape of reputation management has changed considerably in recent years. For one, reputational threats—both real and fake—can develop and spread faster than ever before through social media. There is also a marked “dispersion of gatekeepers.” Where years ago there were only a few sources “gatekeeping” information and determining what was worthy of publication, now anybody can publish information that can go viral. I restated a point I have made often on this blog and elsewhere: anyone can contribute to a business leader or an organization’s reputation on the internet.

Anyone can contribute to your reputation

“Anyone” can also mean employees within the company itself, as seen in countless #MeToo cases. I emphasized the importance of gathering employee feedback through regular town hall meetings and employee surveys where employees can safely and anonymously speak about the firm’s culture. When an organization doesn’t take the time to hear from its employees, I warned: “…They will become frustrated. They will then go to employee or consumer review sites or publish their frustration on social media.”

We also discussed the balancing act that leaders, CEOs and C-suite managers face between when and how to address crises and the burden of legal liability that falls on their shoulders.

Strategic crisis management options

Facing crises without a plan is not an option. I highlighted several actions companies or individuals can take in scenario planning, the first of which is acknowledging the incident. Having a statement that acknowledges the incident is very important, even if the crisis is ongoing. Deciding how to disseminate the statement is important, too. Facebook posts form a direct, easy connection to the public, with no third parties necessary. Companies can also put the statement on the front page of their website, or designate a special page on the website just for that statement and any further updates. Larger or enterprise organizations can acknowledge and possibly address the issue by creating a video using an empathetic spokesperson.

My talk with RANE demonstrates that the discussion on reputation diligence will continue indefinitely. In a world where personal reputations and company revenue can be seriously harmed with just a few clicks, keeping up with the ever-changing landscape of reputation management is essential.

 
 
Reputation Case Study, Social Media, , , , , , , , , , ,

Cory Booker served as Major of Newark, N.J., from 2006 to 2013.  We originally published this piece in October 2013, during his race to become the junior U.S. Senator from New Jersey. It highlights how his deft embrace of social media has played an important role in his success. Follow him on Twitter @CoryBooker to gain insight into his strategy.

Though Booker has utilized a variety of social media platforms, his active and engaging presence on Twitter has been particularly exceptional. In 2010, for instance, he used tweets to communicate directly with Newark residents during a major snowstorm—a move that in turn drew national media attention. “Not only do Newark residents know that Booker is clearing the driveways of people with Twitter handles, so does much of the national political twitterati, which is blogging about him,” the Washington Post’s Krissah Thompson observed at the time.

Recognizing opportunity

“We all need to be who we are and be ourselves but not being in social media is almost like Nixon not wanting to put make up on for a TV appearance,” Booker told Reuters’ Paul Smalera during an interview in June. The mayor also recounts to Smalera how his first foray into Twitter was inspired by a chat with Ashton Kutcher:

“I remember I was travelling back to my law school and driving up highway 95 talking to him. He spent must have been 45 minutes on the phone, really challenging me and explaining to me the benefits of taking control of your own media, of connecting with thousands of people. He said, “Look, I want you to do it but I don’t just want you to do it. I want you to dive in head first and be authentic on the platform, take risks.’

Booker’s social media skills have earned him the title of “Hometown Hero” in “TechCrunch’s 20 Most Innovative People In Democracy 2012,” which observed that his “million-strong Twitter feed spouts everything from dense nuggets of inspiration to real-time problem-solving with his constituents.”

Earlier this year at SXSW Interactive, Booker spoke about how he has “used Twitter to interact with his constituents on a daily basis, responding to questions and complaints at all hours of the day,” as well as how, with the help of Twitter, his “constituency is technically only 280,000 people, but it’s also the United States.”

Even someone as tech-savvy as Booker is prone to the occasional social media misstep, as his brief, past correspondence on Twitter with an Oregon stripper has shown. But Booker’s response to the incident was characteristically cool and collected. “The mayor talks with people from all walks of life on Twitter,” Booker spokesman Kevin Griffis said in a statement. “The most shocking part of the story was learning that there is a vegan strip club in Portland.”

A potent tool

If he wins the special election next week, Booker, who even announced his run for Senate via Twitter and YouTube, “would arrive at the senate armed with a social media army that includes 1.4 million Twitter followers and a drive to shake up the system,” according to NBC News’ Kasie Hunt. The exact impact Booker would have in Washington isn’t easy to predict, but if his campaign is any indication, social media will be a central part of his strategy. On the day of his primary win back in August, Booker “posted prolifically to his various accounts — more than 100 times on Twitter, 12 on Facebook and three on Instagram, including one video,” according to Mashable‘s Fran Berkman.

 
 
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Roseanne Barr and social media

Experts generally recommend two approaches to social media:

Authenticity: Being true to yourself—airing your true beliefs to the greater community. Most consider this to be the most effective way to engage followers and build an audience. It is the favored approach of activists, celebrities, journalists and anyone who wants to strengthen their online presence.

Neutrality: Using social media channels to listen to and participate in the conversation without the risk of offending anyone. This more conservative approach is best for those who are more concerned with protecting their reputation than building an audience. It still provides an online presence, but with less risk of blowback and reputational damage.

A great part of Roseanne Barr’s appeal to viewers is her undeniable authenticity in embracing a point of view that is controversial (but is shared by many of ABC’s 14+ million viewers). For viewers who have a different point of view, her show was a window into a set of values that aren’t well represented in mainstream culture (even though close to half of America shares them).

Roseanne Barr has long taken a firmly authentic stance in her social media use, airing her views regardless of their impact. Everyone has the freedom to do so: social media users from everywhere on the political spectrum have made similar mistakes. But ABC’s response to Roseanne Barr’s comments highlights the potential cost of authenticity.

All social media users, regardless of their political beliefs, must consider whether they can afford the penalties that authenticity, spontaneity and sharing without a filter can incur. They should also consider the impact any comment they make could have on their current and prospective employers, partners and endorsers.

In my Wall Street Journal Crisis of the Week commentary this week, I observe:

“Roseanne Barr tweeted her slur on the heels of relaunching her sitcom to great success. The distinct viewpoints expressed by the show had already earned her a high-profile role in conversations about the country’s cultural divisions. ABC’s swift condemnation of Ms. Barr’s tweet…and its immediate cancellation of her show ensured that no one would see the company as endorsing her statement.

“Nonetheless, ABC did renew the show when her penchant for making highly provocative political statements was commonly known. Crisis management includes planning for this type of scenario and ABC would have conducted rudimentary social-media due diligence before pulling the “on” switch for the show.

“That due diligence would have told them this type of controversy was likely and they would have been prepared for the issue, if they didn’t decide to pass on the project.”

*

Related reading at You(Online):: Social Media History a Major Job Hurdle

How He Built It: Cory Booker, the Social Media Senator

How to Create Effective Social Media Policies

 
 
Social Media, , , , , ,

The December issue of Security Management magazine features an article by Interfor International COO Don Aviv and me about the importance of social media policies. A few key points:

“In 2016, public consumers were nearly twice as likely to recall a company’s social media campaign as to recall a print advertisement. That’s good news for social media, but bad news for any organization experiencing a crisis there.

“Employers should define what is prohibited conduct on social media—such as offensive, demeaning, defamatory, discriminatory, harassing, abusive, inappropriate, or illegal remarks, as well as personal gripes.

“Whether employees are the cause, source, or target of such issues, understanding and amplifying your organization’s social media policy is as essential as having both IT and legal on speed dial.”

You can read a longer excerpt here: A New Social World.

Related Reading: How to Create Effective Social Media Policies.

 

 
 
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Many people believe our nation’s law enforcement profession is going through a PR crisis. We agree… and so do our colleagues at The Hetty Group’s Coptics Program.

Using conferences, webinars and workshops, Coptics helps police departments integrate digital marketing, online reputation management practices, positive PR and advanced social media engagement into their proactive communications and community relations strategies so they can be more effective in connecting with a digital media savvy public.

The Coptics team (including our founder and CEO, Shannon Wilkinson), just wrote an article for Police One, the leading information resource for law enforcement online, about this issue.

“Law enforcement must rise to meet the new challenges brought forth by the optics of policing in the digital age. By increasing their own digital media engagement, they will have a voice in contributing to the national narrative,” we said.

You can access the complete article here: Coptics: The optics of policing in the digital age.

 
 
Crisis Management, , , , , ,

This week, The Wall Street Journal‘s “Crisis of the Week” column focuses on Equifax. An excerpt:

“The massive hack of personal information of around 143 million people has put credit-monitoring service Equifax Inc. in the crisis bullseye as the company contends with the legal, financial and reputational fallout. Cyberthieves swiped Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver’s license numbers, leaving consumers trying to figure out their next moves—and very unhappy with how Equifax was handling the situation.

“The breach is under investigation by the FBI and at least one state attorney general.

“Equifax issued a statement notifying the public about the breach on Sept. 7—weeks after it first learned of the incursion. It followed its initial statement with progress updates on Sept. 8 and Sept. 11. The company also is under pressure after Bloomberg reported three executives sold stock days after the company learned of the breach in late June, but NPR said Equifax said in a statement not posted on its website that the executives “had no knowledge that an intrusion had occurred at the time they sold their shares.”

My Wall Street Journal Analysis

My commentary in that column uses the statements made by the company to evaluate how well it has handled the communications side of this crisis:

“Few firms possess as much detailed information about the financial and personal data of Americans as Equifax. That is why Equifax’s response to this crisis has been so disappointing. In tone, timing and execution, Equifax has failed to convey the gravity of its responsibility to consumers.Waiting one month to inform the public of the breach increased peoples’ risk of identity theft. Had they known sooner, their credit freezes could have been quickly put in place; now Equifax is overwhelmed with requests for freezes and its systems can’t handle them.

“The CEO’s short apology failed to resonate with consumers who now face the potential cost of protecting their data more securely. It lacked empathy and a sufficiently apologetic tone appropriate for the impact of this crisis. Equifax did the right thing in quickly creating a website to provide consumers with one year’s worth of free credit monitoring and protection and a $1 million identity-theft service. Only after consumers complained did Equifax remove the fine print requiring consumers who registered for the free service to waive their legal right to sue.

After that, two executives, including the security director, left the company–an important symbol of Equifax’s steps toward rebuilding its security system, albeit after the fire has destroyed the firehouse. What Equifax will do after its free credit protection services run out in one year is unclear. Millions of consumers will need protection for decades as a result of this breach and accommodating that need is a process the company needs to prepare for.”

If you are following this story, the article can be accessed (behind a paid firewall) here: Crisis of the Week: Equifax Hit With Massive Reputation Breach.