Michael Fertik

Michael Fertik (born October 1, 1978) is an American internet entrepreneur and privacy advocate known for pioneering the industry of online reputation management. He is the founder, current executive chairman, owner and former CEO of Reputation.com, Inc. a Redwood City technology company that sends take-down requests to websites hosting embarrassing content, attempts to influence search results, and help clients obtain positive reviews. He advocates that the internet be cautious to respect the privacy and reputations of people and businesses.

Career Fertik earned a degree from Harvard Law School. While earning his undergraduate, he co-founded and sold a software company called TruExchange.

Initially ReputationDefender was offering services for online reputation management and suppression of negative content, and the remaining company became known as just Reputation.com, and turned into a software-as-a-service platform. Reputation.com raised $67 million in venture capital. Originally it was intended for parents that wanted to protect their children's online reputation, but it ended up being professionals that were primarily interested in the service. He was named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by TechAmerica in 2010 and became a regular commenter on internet privacy issues in national broadcast media. He also blogs for the Harvard Business Review, and maintains a guest column for Inc. Magazine. Fertik also participates in and provides direction for various advocacy programs. He sits on the Advisory Boards of the Internet Keepsafe Coalition (iKeepSafe) and the Future of Privacy Forum.

In 2017, Fertik participated in the mockumentary Bubbleproof from Femto Films.

Views Fertik is an advocate for respecting an individual's online privacy. He advocates for either regulation of the internet or raising awareness. Critics of Fertik's business say that it inhibits free speech or allows wealthy individuals to manipulate search results and marginalize their critics. Over time, the public's views on privacy have grown more aligned with Fertik's perspective.