Fortunately, there are some positive steps you could take to reclaim your online history for yourself.
In an unusual gesture, though, they’ve made public how to do for yourselfeverything that DeleteMe does.
Here’s my take on their advice.
Be warned, though.
The following are not easy instructions, and it’s not because they’re technically complex.
Things are not likely to go your way the first time around.
Step 2:Aggressively track sites that aggressively track you.This is where the DeleteMe service comes in.
You might be unpleasantly surprised.
It doesn’t matter which site is the source.
It could be Facebook, or a local blog, or a gaming forum.
Once that site has changed, then you’ll see a change in the search results.
Be sure to include the quotes.
Look for phone numbers, e-mail, and fax numbers, and follow up your initial communication.
Use a site likeE-mail Formatto help you out.
A willingness to compromise can get you better results, too.
The idea is that the Positive You will bury the Negative You.
you’ve got the option to also use social-networking sites to bury bad news.
From About.Me to Flickr to Twitter, social networks tend to rank highly in search results.
Step 6:Go (politely) nuclear.
Get a lawyer.If you suspect something is actually defamatory, seek out legal advice.
My colleague Declan McCullagh noted a potential complication in hiring a lawyer:SLAPP laws.
Although they vary from state to state, they all basically aim to prevent unsubstantiated legal threats.
If you threaten someone, that person can turn around and sue you for attorneys fees and damages.
