Michele Merrell is a technology and telecommunications executive and President of Merrell Consulting Group, a global consulting consortium.
In the age of digital communication, the risk that companies and organizations will suffer a social media attack or accusation and its effects is real. Social media attacks can come from internal or external sources and can range from simple malicious rumors to full-fledged campaigns aimed at damaging or destroying the reputation of a brand, an organization or even an individual. Activist groups may utilize social media to influence company decision-making, compromise their operations or even destroy a company. Witness the #StopToxicTwitter coalition urging brands to stop advertising on Twitter, which Elon Musk said resulted in a massive drop in revenue. Or think back to a few years ago, when Delta faced a social media crisis after it was accused of kicking a YouTube star off the plane for speaking Arabic. And we all remember the disturbing video of a man being physically dragged off a United Airlines flight. All of these events resulted in massive social media backlash from activists and disgruntled customers.
Whether hackers, disgruntled customers or simply people who are upset about something the company has or has not done (or is perceived to have done) speak out against a company on social media, it is important to be adequately prepared with an action plan. Here are some tips that a corporation should consider to survive a social...
The Dangote Group has become aware of a publication titled “Aliko Dangote Speaks Out on Why He Distanced Himself from Tony Elumelu,” which is false, malicious, and baseless. At no time did the Pre...