Park West Gallery® has come under fire from Fine Art Registry® (FAR), an internet startup posing as an “art advocate.” FAR is waging an online smear campaign against Park West Gallery through articles, press releases and forum postings. The owner uses the website to post self-proclaimed “expose articles” and foster discussions that are damaging Park West’s reputation and goodwill. We are aware that other companies and individuals have encountered similar cybersmear campaigns, and we believe it is time to raise awareness of the issue.
What is Cybersmear? 1
From an article by Ciulla and Donofrio, LLC, attornies at law, cybersmear is defined as:
Libelous messages placed on the Internet, regardless of whether the message or statement appears on a website, on a computer bulletin board or chat room, in an on-line newspaper, diary or weblog (“blog”) or in an e-mail. Also referred to as cyberlibel.
Who are Cybersmearers?
Cybersmear campaigns are waged by a variety of people, from individuals with personal grudges to competitors seeking to discredit a company. Common charateristics of cybersmearers include: 1
- A delusional sense of importance
- A general sense of negativity
- Motivated by revenge against a perceived wrong
- Belief that they are on a "mission"
- Typically professionally and/or personally disgruntled
- Many are people who may have failed in relationships and professional life
- They have an agenda and a motive
What are the Attributes of a Cybersmear Campaign? 1,2
- A website or blog detailing the alleged injustices committed by a person or company
- References and links to regulations and/or legal sources and/or unlicensed interpretation of the law
- Information or quotes taken out of context
- Comments categorized as "information" or "opinion" when, in fact, the statements represent propaganda or libel
- Claims of "consumer protection," "independence," "neutrality," "public service," concern for "innocent victims," etc.
- Information is frequently posted anonymously
- Utilization of SEO (search engine optimization) techniques to rank high in search engines
- Posting "actual e-mails from readers," none of which can be verified or all of which comes from fellow cybersmearers
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Robert Goldman Joins Park West Gallery in Battle Against Cybersmear Campaign
Have you been a victim of a cybersmear campaign? Email your story to us at: reputationmanagement@parkwestgallery.com