In previous posts about reputation management, I have written about how once something is published to the web, it is there for good. Google never forgets. Consequently, your strategy for dealing with an issue in the social media space needs to reflect this reality. It needs to inform the way you respond, and the channels you use.

The first lesson that we can take from this is that agencies need to be engaged in this space. Your publics are already there: join them. Don’t be left out of the conversation. If you are present and contributing, then you are a) building up a relationship and enhancing your reputation and credibility, and b) able to respond quickly and appropriately, because you will understand both the medium and the community.

The news that CYF have approached Google about taking down the blog is – from my perspective – an odd tactic. Even if Google were to comply (which seems highly unlikely) it doesn’t remove the content from the web. Secondly, it is likely to engender more negative feeling, not less. And, if anything, it is likely to reinforce the appearance for some that the accusations may have some merit.

The other important point that I think we should consider is that, in the work that public servants do, we will make mistakes. While we all work to ensure that these are minimised, there will be times (especially when you consider the powers invested in some agencies) when those mistakes will have a significant, and potentially traumatic, impact upon the lives of New Zealanders. We need to do as much as possible to ensure that we retain the trust of the public to exercise these powers fairly, and we need to effectively communicate with them about the ways in which we are upholding that trust.

The blog critical of CYF is a good example of a situation that has obviously spiralled way out of control. Opening up new lines of communication, engaging with public across a variety of media particularly those that support transparent dialogue means that some of these situations can be averted before they reach a crisis point. And those that do escalate to a crisis can be more effectively managed.

The people we serve are choosing, in increasing numbers, to use social media. We need to be engaging them on their terms.