Work bloggers beware

Today I was tipped off about a company called RepuTrace that is in the business of offering a service to businesses based on the following statement:

"Should you suspect an unsatisfied customer is spreading malcontent about your company, use CoreX to zero in on Web-based discussion forums. You can even monitor developments within your workforce in the event you have difficulties with disgruntled employees or just want to ensure your personnel are generally happy at work."

RepuTrace also claims to be able to:

a) Find out what people are saying on blogs and chatrooms about a particular company or developments affecting a particular industry.

b) Search all forms of consumer conversation connected with a company, product or brand to ensure it is perceived as desired.

c) Track media outlets of all sizes and kinds to monitor specific news and information to give you a unique, global perspective.

The main motto of RepuTrace appears to be, "Find any bad news before it finds you".

I sense this is only the beginning of private businesses being set up to trawl the Internet on behalf of large companies looking for any potentially "damaging" statement or campaign. Governments have probably been doing this for years.

Thanks to Confined Space and Hazards for the story.