Jack Thompson commits reputation management suicide

There are certain ways to deal with websites that are flaming you (intentionally trying to wind you up). One of the ways you do not deal with them is to publically state how annoyed you are about them and try to get them shut down.

Nothing guarantees that word will spread faster like the person being harassed showing that they’re bothered by it, and violent video games campaigner Jack Thompson has just committed Internet suicide by doing just that. Thompson has contacted Facebook (by fax, bless) to have a group removed. The group is entitled ‘Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600’ in response to his unsuccessful attempts to get the Grand Theft Auto games band for their violent content.

Now, when Thompson threw his hissy fit and complained to Facebook, this was a modest group with just 312 members (as reported here). After his complaint, the story was reported by the Register, and the group had swelled to 723 members. Well done Jack, you sparked enough interest to double your tormentors.

Now, at the time of writing this post, the group’s membership stands at 1,397 members… over 1,000 extra members have joined since Thompson’s complaint to Facebook.

Now Thompson is suing Facebook for the emotional distress caused by this group, and many more like it, to the tune of $120 million.

When will people learn how reputation management works?