The American Veterinary Medical Association is wielding a larger shield in its attempt to protect practitioners from cyberbullying. The Schaumburg, Ill., organization has added the 24/7 DVM Cyberbullying Hotline to its reputation-management toolkit. Members who need to respond quickly to an online attack can receive 30 minutes of advice from a crisis-management consultant at no cost; longer sessions are at a discounted rate. AVMA this week also unveiled DVM Reputation Guard, a subscription-based service that scours social media and online sources for potentially damaging items or reviews, the organization reported. “If a threat is detected, participants are notified immediately, and experts provide them with assistance in developing a response,” AVMA stated. The anti-cyberbullying effort is designed to help member veterinarians “combat the emotional and financial damage caused by online detractors,” AVMA added. “Our veterinarians must be protected from cyberbullying, hacking and false reviews,” said AVMA President Tom Meyer, DVM. “They not only threaten our livelihood, they damage our sense of well-being.” AVMA President Tom Meyer, DVM. “They not only threaten our livelihood, they damage our sense of well-being.” Working with AVMA is Bernstein Crisis Management Inc. of Monrovia, Calif.AVMA is Bernstein Crisis Management Inc. of Monrovia, Calif. More information is available at AVMA website and DVM Reputation Guard website.
