How To Deal With a Cyber Bully.

The Internet is a quick and effective way to communicate with customers and prospects. However, it can sometimes be used negatively by a disgruntled customer or former employee. Often the Internet rant can be both personally targeted and threatening at the same time.

A recent example of this in the Seattle area involved a newly opened business.  It  started with a scathing rant by a disgruntled customer on the business Facebook page, Craigslist, Yelp, City Search, and Google Maps that complained about services that he had received.  Anyone who posted a compliment was insulted, and personal attacks on the businesses co-owners were posted.

The cyber bully's anger wasn't over the services that he received, but a because his sexual advances towards a female employee of the business had been rejected. 

The business owner's attempts to resolve the issue with the Cyber Bully only resulted in more vitriol directed towards the owner and the business.

Some of the effective techniques used for blunting the bully's sword were:

• Adjusting the business Facebook accounts security settings.

• Some of the other sites proved more difficult to have the negative content removed.  The Better Business Bureau was able to help with some of this on the owners behalf.  This assistance plus the fact that most of the comments were in violation of the site guidelines were beneficial in getting the improper content removed.

•  Daily monitoring of the business related reviews and other Internet postings.  Google has an alter service that is excellent for this.

•  Contacting the Police - Cyber-stalking (the using of electronic communication to harass, intimidate, embarrass or torment another person) is a gross misdemeanor in the state of Washington.

• Getting a restraining order to protect the owner and his employees.