Comments on: Benefits of the STFU strategy http://thegoodthebadthespin.com/2009/07/09/benefits-of-the-stfu-strategy/ The Intersection Between Public Relations and the News Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:59:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Melanie http://thegoodthebadthespin.com/2009/07/09/benefits-of-the-stfu-strategy/comment-page-1/#comment-1200 Melanie Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:05:40 +0000 http://thegoodthebadthespin.com/?p=977#comment-1200 STFU is a good policy for communications professionals. But toxic as those sites are, I kinda like them. It's interesting to me to wade in a see what people are saying--especially since I know they are probably writing exactly what they are really thinking since they are hidden behind a veil of anonymity. It may be sickening, but it's enlightening. If you are gathering info for a talking points piece, anonymous responses to your articles would be a good place to look in order to find points that will inevitably need to be refuted. Incidentally, The WSJ and NY Times have these sites, and boy do they get entertaining. STFU is a good policy for communications professionals. But toxic as those sites are, I kinda like them. It’s interesting to me to wade in a see what people are saying–especially since I know they are probably writing exactly what they are really thinking since they are hidden behind a veil of anonymity. It may be sickening, but it’s enlightening. If you are gathering info for a talking points piece, anonymous responses to your articles would be a good place to look in order to find points that will inevitably need to be refuted.

Incidentally, The WSJ and NY Times have these sites, and boy do they get entertaining.

]]> By: Ike http://thegoodthebadthespin.com/2009/07/09/benefits-of-the-stfu-strategy/comment-page-1/#comment-1182 Ike Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:19:33 +0000 http://thegoodthebadthespin.com/?p=977#comment-1182 Absolutely -- under the vast majority of circumstances, those anonymous comment hives are toxic and to be avoided. The only time I can think to wade into the ooze is when there is an outright lie that gains traction from the repetition. I'm not talking about the one-shot accusation that your company slaughters babies, but rather the baby-killer charges that continue from topic to topic and over a period of time. In those cases, a simple statement linking to a company-operated site -- posted by a transparent and identifiable media representative -- can at least get you on the record as having opposed the tenor of the comments. (and in certain circumstances, it's nice to use your analytics tools to see who clicks over to read your response from that comment page... but that's only because I am a sneaky webmaster...) Absolutely — under the vast majority of circumstances, those anonymous comment hives are toxic and to be avoided.

The only time I can think to wade into the ooze is when there is an outright lie that gains traction from the repetition. I’m not talking about the one-shot accusation that your company slaughters babies, but rather the baby-killer charges that continue from topic to topic and over a period of time.

In those cases, a simple statement linking to a company-operated site — posted by a transparent and identifiable media representative — can at least get you on the record as having opposed the tenor of the comments.

(and in certain circumstances, it’s nice to use your analytics tools to see who clicks over to read your response from that comment page… but that’s only because I am a sneaky webmaster…)

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