How do I know if someone is trying to damage my reputation online?

If someone is trying to damage your reputation online, it's usually more than just one post. One negative comment or piece of criticism doesn't necessarily mean you're being targeted. Instead, look for a pattern.

The same messages may appear across different platforms and are often shared by fake or newly created accounts created only to spread a specific message. These accounts usually have little or no profile information, profile pictures that look AI-generated, and very little engagement, which may suggest they aren't real users.

If the same story spreads quickly across multiple platforms or in different languages, it may be part of a coordinated campaign. The people behind these campaigns often use several platforms at the same time to reach as many people as possible and may post the same content in different languages to reach a wider audience.

If you notice several of these signs together, it's worth investigating further before deciding how to respond.

Read more about how coordinated campaigns target brands online.