Re: Google and the South African Internet

I gave you advice on the facts that you have placed before us. The "what
ifs" are totally irrelevant. My advice is based on years' experience in
media.
If you want the correct information out there then you have to put it out
there...
Many a popular brand has been slated/tarnished in the past and will be in
future. The corrective behaviour in all those instances was a press release
with facts. (Google: Heineken dogfight as a good example)
Unfortunately, although most media outlets insist they are independent and
impartial it unfortunately only stretches as far as the guy with the biggest
chequebook in many instances.
One of the first things I learned in marketing is that there is no such
thing as bad publicity. Publicity might have a negative tone to it. But
depending how you handle it the professionals can turn that around into
something very positive.
Fighting with the messenger is counterproductive and truly a waste of time
and money.
On your argument we might very well say that Hello Peter falls in the same
category... and my perception of them is that they extort a badly publicised
company to set the records straight... 
Is it fair? I don't think so. 
Does it work in the greater scheme of things to get companies to toe the
line? Perhaps yes.
Would I make use of them? Not ever as I have an ethical issue in how things
are being dealt with.

And just to drill home this right to "free speech" and perception of
individuals...
Just the other day there was a matter in court where a person erected a
billboard of how bad a company or its services were. (Cannot remember the
exact detail of who, what, where.)
But the court ruled in favour of the individual confirming he was within his
right to tell the world of how he perceived that company. His billboard
stayed up.
Perhaps Dominic can give more info as she is the legal eagle on this list
that sometimes follows such cases.

Paul Blackburn
Omina Solutions CC
Cell:  +27 (0) 82 900 6443
Fax:  +27 (0) 86 524 9183
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.omina.co.za
Website: http://www.racepics.co.za

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-----Original Message-----
From: Andre Coetzee [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: 13 December 2015 10:45
To: Paul Blackburn
Cc: 'IOZ'
Subject: Re: [IOZ] Google and the South African Internet


Can we play "what if"? What if this example was not me (or any of the Andre
Coetzee's as people generally seem not to like any of us for some
reason) let's say it was a child, maybe your child...

Should the child (or someone else) be forced to run a PR campaign?

Thing is that in the EU - The child can FORCE Google.com to remove the
search result.

The kid can also FORCE mybroadband.co.za very easily, to remove their
rubbish...

As Kieran said, Andre Coetzee is a common name (176+ of us and 3x "internet
personalities - if that is a thing??) so in my example, maybe that is not so
very relevant and only really serves to demonstrate the problem somewhat...
- or am I missing something basic/fundemental?

andre


On Sun, 13 Dec 2015 10:31:28 +0200
"Paul Blackburn" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Have you considered getting a PR company to do a press release with 
> all the facts and get that published all over on your behalf, 
> newspaper and online media.
> Unfortunately that is how the media works. It might cost you a couple 
> of bucks to secure publication but that way Google and all else will 
> have the truth as counter published.
> You are fighting a losing battle to even attempt fighting any sort of 
> media outlet no matter how valid you think they are.
> We are in a new age where access to information and information is 
> king.
> 
> 
> Paul Blackburn
> Omina Solutions CC
> Cell:  +27 (0) 82 900 6443
> Fax:  +27 (0) 86 524 9183
> Email: [email protected]
> Website: http://www.omina.co.za
> Website: http://www.racepics.co.za
> 
> Disclaimer and confidentiality note:
> Everything in this e-mail and any attachments relating to the official 
> business of Omina Solutions CC is proprietary to the company. It is 
> confidential, legally privileged and protected by law.
> Omina Solutions CC does not own and endorse any other content. Views 
> and opinions are those of the sender unless clearly stated as being 
> that of the company.
> The person addressed in the e-mail is the sole authorised recipient.
> Please notify the sender immediately if it has unintentionally reached 
> you and do not read, disclose or use the content in any way.
> Omina Solutions CC cannot assure that the integrity of this 
> communication has been maintained or that it is free of errors, virus, 
> interception or interference.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Andre Coetzee
> Sent: 11 December 2015 09:08
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [IOZ] Google and the South African Internet
> 
> When I search my name on Google.com the 5th result is this:
> 
> http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/400259-Arrest-of-Internet-P
> ersona
> lity-Andre-Coetzee
> 
> I was arrested in 2012 at my address and held for three days by the SA 
> Police for refusing to pay a bribe to a police officer.
> 
> The 'official' reason for my arrest inside a building at my address is 
> "refusing to provide my address to a police officer"
> 
> Charges which were quite obviously withdrawn as we still have a 
> seemingly/sometimes functional legal system.
> 
> and, other charges were of course made, etc, etc.
> 
> Now go read the rubbish that 'mybroadband.co.za'/internet community 
> publishes and http://google.com promotes as 'fact' or even closely 
> relevant.
> 
> Maybe I should have simply paid the bribe, the cop only wanted a few 
> thousand rands as he confused me with someone else to begin with.
> Anyway, I digress.
> 
> It is the contributions that everyone, including civil society, makes 
> to South Africa that shapes what it is.
> 
> Google views "mybroadband.co.za" as a "news" website and as seemingly 
> has vast popular support by the community (including you) that 
> represents the South African Internet.
> 
> meanwhile, the truth is that 'mybroadband.co.za" is obviously not a 
> "real" news website.
> 
> But, you, the South African Internet users, and GOOGLE strongly 
> supports this "website" for some unknown reason?
> 
> The result of this 'trust" is that;
> 
> Every time I meet someone new or try to do new business I find myself 
> having to explain the post and thread on mybroadband.co.za
> 
> I have nothing to do with mybroadband.co.za or that thread, except 
> responding to it and subsequently deleting any account that I had 
> there
> 
> On the South African Internet we will either follow the Chinese model 
> of running a type of intranet or the Russian model, the European model 
> (which protects private people and privacy - and the sh1t published by 
> this 'mybroadband' and marketed by Google.com about an "internet 
> personality' (wtf??) will never fly.
> 
> But maybe South Africans like the idea of an Intranet (like China) or 
> security cops like Russia? or what?
> 
> Andre
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> 
> 
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