NPR: Hey Internet! Keep Your Eyes Off My Daughter!

Hey Internet! Keep Your Eyes Off My Daughter!

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Listen to Luke and Alison discuss online reputations with the CEO of ReputationDefender.com

Update: We were asked to take down the picture of Allison Stokke -- and we were asked nicely, so we did it.

Websites like YouTube and MySpace have displayed the Internet's powerful ability to make regular folks into stars in an instant. (Remember this guy?) But what happens when the Internet makes those regular folks into stars against their will, or anoints them for reasons or qualities they don't want accentuated? Enter Allison Stokke, an 18-year-old high school student and superstar pole vaulter who just happens to be especially beautiful. The Washington Post explains:

In her high school track and field career, Stokke had won a 2004 California state pole vaulting title, broken five national records and earned a scholarship to the University of California, yet only track devotees had noticed. Then, in early May, she received e-mails from friends who warned that a year-old picture of Stokke idly adjusting her hair at a track meet in New York had been plastered across the Internet. She had more than 1,000 new messages on her MySpace page. A three-minute video of Stokke standing against a wall and analyzing her performance at another meet had been posted on YouTube and viewed 150,000 times.

Some people would be flattered, but to this student athlete trying to make pole vaulting history, it's nothing more than an unwelcome (and creepy) distraction. And needless to say, her father isn't thrilled either. After all, it's hard to have the "keep your hands off my daughter" talk with the ENTIRE INTERNET.

So what can Allison Stokke do about this? Is there any way she can undo what's already been done on the Internet? To find out, Luke and our own Alison talked to Michael Fertik, CEO of ReputationDefender.com, a company that provides just that type of service. It's a company that had no reason to exist a few years ago, but if you've ever been Googled by a prospective employer or blind date, you might be thankful they exist now. Check out our segment, then Google everyone you know and tell us if you find anything juicy.

Dan Pashman

3:56 PM ET | 05-31-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

The download link looks dead...

Sent by Shawn Shahani | 12:22 AM ET | 06-01-2007

Shawn -- it's fixed. Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for alerting us!

Sent by Matt Martinez | 12:36 AM ET | 06-01-2007

Curiousity got the best of me and I clicked on the link to the website - WOW!. It's gone and there is an apology in its place! Maybe things aren't so bad.

Sent by Treisa | 11:12 AM ET | 06-01-2007

This is a sad situation for Allison Stokke. To be honest I had not heard about her until the recent media blitz. Had Allison's father not spoken with The Washington Post I believe that a much smaller subset of the population would be familiar with her.

She obviously is very talented and I would not have thought anything more of her photos than seeing an athlete in prime condition.

It is ironic however that her father, Allan Stokke - an attorney, has moved this issue into the mainstream. His track record of defending sexual predators is disturbing.

He was able to get just six years of prison for an adult that molested three boys ranging from 12 to 14 years of age.

He defended a predator that was convicted of sexually assaulting a girl using a bottle, pool cue and cigarette. A video tape of the girl, unconscious, was used as evidence. Stokke "described the victim as a would-be porn star who pretended to be unconscious in the video."

Stokke was able to get a police officer acquitted after "(the officer) unbuttoned his pants and placed his *** in her hand ... He also grabbed the woman's breast and used a finger to sexually penetrate her." Stokke claimed that the victim had initiated the incident.

Hopefully Allan Stokke will have a change of heart now that it's his family that is in danger of being victimized.

Drew Crecente, Director
Jennifer Ann's Group
JenniferAnn.org

Fight Teen Dating Violence!

Sent by Drew Crecente | 9:51 PM ET | 06-02-2007

yeah, there's one thing to do to prevent gawkers...wear a burka.

Sent by Dave Harkin | 9:58 PM ET | 06-02-2007

I am looking for a general profile for Allison Stokke: date of birth, weight/ height, family members names, UC Berkeley News and anything else woulf be helpful. Send it to: pointed@earthlink.net

Sent by Frank Riley | 6:27 PM ET | 01-04-2008

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