Online Rep Protection

Type Amy Winehouse or Paris Hilton into Google and in the top ten results you're sure to find articles about them smoking crack or making sex tapes. Try again with Kate Moss and you won't find any mention of her infamous behaviour until somewhere on the third page of results. In fact, clicking through page after pages of results, the search engine countlessly mentions her modeling success, design collaborations and general career highs.

This could all be down to the new online reputation laundering service. "Moss's Google results showed all signs of being laundered. There is no doubt about it, this has been done," says Shaun Parker of High Position, one such firm offering the service.

The service ensures that only positive results are shown when the clients name is entered into an internet search engine. Negative search results generally receive more attention and links and so are pushed to the top of the search results. These companies, such as Tiger Two, Distilled (London) and Reputation Defender (California) create faux positive links in order to push the niceties about their client up the results list. Some charge up to $25 000 a year, but it is a popular service. Not only do celebs use it, a lot of high profile business people use the service to keep themselves and their companies image intact.

Nowadays its so easy to find out information about a business professional, co-worker or potential employee. Everyone Googles everyone! Wouldn't it be annoying to loose out on a business deal or top job if your client or boss clicked straight to embarrassing images, negative opinions or false accusations. Some companies say they have even found criminal accusations and a faux obituary of their clients child on the web. You have to beware what people blog about nowadays, its not all good!