I bought two copies of this book - one for me and one for a friend who is active in social media. Facebook, Twitter, and all the others used to be just fun, then they became important to us professionally, and now that we are "hooked," they are potentially damaging, too. As Lori says, your identity is being bought and sold, and it can be damaged, tarnished, or even hijacked. I have no intention of giving up being online. It's integral to my professional life and my social life. So I'm using this book as a guideline for how to protect my reputation and my personal information. It's easy to read and provides complete instructions. Oh, and there are some really good stories, too.

I started teaching as a “professor of practice” in 2016. I was assigned to teach a course in digital public relations. There was no textbook specified for the course, nor had I ever identified a “manual” to handle the various aspects of establishing, managing and protecting online reputation in my professional life. I don’t recall how I discovered this book, but just a quick scan of the introduction and I was SOLD. I still use it as my only textbook and I teach multiple sections each semester. I have tried to talk Ms. Stradtman into publishing a new version, but in today’s current environment, sticking to basics is the best approach. I tell my students if I had written a book, it would be this one. It is even more relevant today than ever. Stradtman readily admits that the tools may change, but the approach to ORM really should not. True. So true.

his is a very well-written, easy-to-read presentation of detailed and profound information for anyone who has any presence in the digital world. Before reading this book, I would have told you I was just a casual user of social media and email. Now, I realize that I am my own brand, whether I like it or not, and that it is not only my responsibility to monitor what information may be known/shared/spread about me online, but I have the unique opportunity to apply some savvy to ensure that how I'm represented online matches and agrees with who I am in real life. I also learned valuable tips for how to be proactive to protect my identity and personal information. That said, information shared in this book was clearly well-researched and provides a cautionary tale for the younger generation who, having come of age using this technology, still lacks the maturity to realize the far-reaching impact of their online presence/antics. Wisdom must still be applied to knowledge in order to properly use tools, especially technology! Consider this a "must-have handbook" and get one into the hands of every teenager you know!