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HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 3 months AGO
Heidi Desch is features editor and covers Flathead County for the Daily Inter Lake. She previously served as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, spending 10 years at the newspaper and earning honors as best weekly newspaper in Montana. She was a reporter for the Hungry Horse News and has served as interim editor for The Western News and Bigfork Eagle. She is a graduate of the University of Montana. She can be reached at hdesch@dailyinterlake.com or 406-758-4421. | December 21, 2016 10:25 AM
The Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau had sent out a list of guidelines to Whitefish businesses about dealing with a neo-Nazi internet trolling campaign.
Some businesses have reported aggressive phone calls and false online reviews as a result of the campaign.
The guidelines give a list of tips for dealing with negative reviews”
• Don’t engage with the comment.
• Flag inappropriate content (typically next to the review, there is a flag or thumbs down button). Contact Google, Yelp. Trip Advisor, or other review sites as necessary.
• Create social media requests for customers to review your business.
• If you feel a response is necessary, do so with a simple truthful response, such as: “This comment is fake and is meant to stir up controversy, see other reviews for a complete view of our business.” Then leave it be.
The guidelines also gives talking points about dealing with the news media.
The suggestions, include statements like “everyone is welcome in Whitefish,” and “Whitefish has always been known for its hospitality.”
It points to the city ordinance that supports the inclusiveness and diversity of the community.
“We do not want to be aligned with extreme ideology and discrimination,” the notice states. “On the contrary, Whitefish is a friendly, hospitable and welcoming community.”
It advises that business owners who don’t want to talk to the media, to defer to the Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau spokeswoman Lisa Jones, at pr@explorewhitefish.com.
The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce also sent out the same set of advice to its members.
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