Reputation.com
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Online reputation management, Customer experience solutions, Software as a service |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Michael Fertik |
| Headquarters | San Ramon, California , United States |
Key people | Joe Burton (CEO), Rebecca Biestman (CMO) |
| Products | Online reputation management software, Customer experience platform |
| Website | reputation |
Reputation—previously known as Reputation.com and ReputationDefender—is a business-to-business firm specializing in online reputation management and customer experience solutions, headquartered in San Ramon, California. Its software-as-a-service platform allows organizations to track and engage with online reviews, social media activity, and surveys, while analyzing customer sentiment and facilitating collaboration on operational enhancements.
History
Initially established as ReputationDefender by Michael Fertik in 2006, the company underwent a rebranding to Reputation.com in January 2011, shifting its focus toward enterprise-level offerings. The consumer-oriented ReputationDefender product line remained active until its 2018 sale to the Stagwell Group, which encompassed privacy and reputation services tailored for individuals. Subsequently, ReputationDefender was acquired by Norton in 2021.
After divesting its consumer division in 2018, Reputation.com redefined itself as a SaaS provider catering exclusively to business customers. To lead this transition, Joe Burton—formerly DocuSign’s VP and FinancialForce’s president—was appointed CEO in August 2018. In March 2020, Rebecca Biestman joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer to enhance brand visibility and accelerate growth initiatives.
ReputationDefender and early services
Operating under the ReputationDefender name until 2018, the company offered online reputation management solutions that involved charging clients fees to attempt removal of unfavorable online content, although success was not assured. Initial removal efforts succeeded in eliminating roughly two-thirds of targeted images but could not fully eradicate all instances. The company compensated websites such as Spokeo for client referrals, which raised questions regarding potential conflicts of interest. Its approach generally involved contacting websites hosting negative material with requests for content removal based on appeals to fairness rather than legal threats. Pricing options ranged from approximately $15 at the entry level up to $1,000 annually, with a premium executive service priced at $10,000 introduced in 2007.
ReputationDefender also developed software tools designed to evaluate consumer data and monitor online personal information listings with the goal of delisting them. Additionally, it tracked online reviews by encouraging positive feedback while at times obscuring legitimate negative comments—a practice that drew criticism of its business methods. The company served industries such as healthcare, retail, automotive, restaurants, and property management. Its client roster included prominent organizations like Banner Health, BMW, Ford Motor Company, Hertz, General Motors, Sutter Health, US Bank, along with around 750 other enterprise customers spanning 77 industry sectors as of 2017.
Reception
In 2012, BusinessWeek noted that "Reputation.com scam" appeared as an autocompleted Google search phrase; many adverse reviews were reportedly buried beyond the first page of results—a strategy interpreted as an attempt by Reputation.com to conceal unfavorable information.
The New York Times characterized Reputation.com as both widely used and contentious due to its efforts to remove negative content that might be of public interest. Cyberlaw specialist Susan Crawford observed that most websites comply with removal requests to avoid potential lawsuits. The Wall Street Journal highlighted potential risks when engaging with critics online but acknowledged the company's attempts to avoid antagonizing hostile website administrators. The CEO has affirmed that the firm respects First Amendment rights and does not seek removal of legitimately newsworthy content or official court records.
In 2008, Anthony Ciolli—a former administrator of AutoAdmit—filed a lawsuit against Reputation.com following a defamation case involving an online law student forum; Ciolli alleged that ensuing negative publicity resulted in the loss of a job opportunity.
A 2009 article in the Harvard Journal of Law & Gender criticized Reputation.com for allegedly exploiting instances of online harassment targeting women to garner media attention.
Shortly after its inception, ReputationDefender was engaged to remove graphic images related to Nikki Catsouras’ fatal car accident that had been leaked by law enforcement. The company managed to have these images removed from approximately 300 out of 400 websites hosting them. While the New York Post described this effort as "surprisingly effective," concerns were raised about censoring content deemed offensive by clients. Conversely, Newsweek considered the attempt unsuccessful; ReputationDefender itself referred to this challenge as an "unwinnable battle."
External links
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- 2006 California establishments
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- American companies established in 2006