If you've spent much time online, you've probably witnessed, survived, or perhaps even made some type of major social networking mistake. Sometimes I think I've seen it all. From the mild, like posting in excitement about the details of a surprise birthday party for someone who can read the post. To the more serious, like congratulating someone on a pregnancy based on a new 
picture...someone who is not pregnant! When anger is involved, mistakes can morph from mere snafus to full-scale reputation killers. This anger can be transmitted through blogs, forum posting, tweets, status updates, chat room content, or private messages. What can a person do once the damage has been done?
[Graphic caption: Dozens of social networking site logos, including Flickr, Linkedin, digg, and many more.]
1. Make a sincere and authentic apology directed at the audience who received your angry messages. Everyone who is exposed to these abusive messages is victimized. If you wrote an angry late-night blog about a family member, apologize personally AND on your blog. If your tweet crossed the line, aim your remorse at the followers on the receiving end of your anger. Do NOT say, "if I offended anyone." By the time we recognize the need to issue an apology, we almost always already know that we did. It invalidates the sincerity of your statement and intensifies the challenging of rebuilding your reputation of integrity.
2. After the apology, realize that we all make mistakes. Don't be too hard on yourself. You aren't the first and won't be the last to lose your cool. The faster you make amends and work on rebuilding, the quicker others will forgive and probably forget.
3. Stick around! After a particularly embarrassing mistake, it can be tempting to leave the scene of the crime. Deleting an account in haste demonstrates the same impulsivity that may have led to your offensive statement. If it's absolutely necessary, take a short break. As quickly as possible, return to contributing the same positive online presence that many people enjoyed before the mistake was made.
4. But move on already...The beauty of a well-crafted and heart-felt apology is that it removes the need for repeated acts of remorse. Mentioning the problems of the past, especially if a site administrator became involved, further deteriorates your reputation. It's also important to avoid the pitfall of what I call "ambulance chasers". These people relish in other people's hardships. They might send you private or direct messages requesting more information on the conflict. Rise above and don't respond.
5. Learn from others. The price of fame and notoriety sometimes involved serving as unwilling, but extremely effective, teachers. As more celebrities join social networks, more examples of reputation demise and rescue are available. One of my most admired authors, Alice Hoffman, is on the hot seat this week for angry tweets and the hurried deletion of her Twitter account. As a literary genius, I know she'll work hard to restore her reputation.
For more on Reputation Rescue, check out these blogs/articles:
Oh Twit! Top 5 Classic Celebrity Tweeting Mistakes
Social Networking: Including or Excluding People with Disabilities
Do you Twitter or Plurk?
What else do you think people who make an online blunder can do to repair their reputation?
