One of the key points of Groundswell is that the speed and reach of social media can have a powerful impact on corporate reputation for any given company. That can be a scary idea for corporate executives who are accustomed to issuing carefully crafted press releases for traditional media, speaking to the general public largely through reporters, holding periodic conferences for industry analysts, and hosting annual gatherings to speak to a few shareholders. How do you think social media has changed the effectiveness of those kinds of tactics?

Corporations have various stakeholders — customers, employees, shareholders, external activists, etc. — who sometimes care about different things and whose actions can affect different aspects of a company's reputation. How can a company best communicate with these fragmented groups online?

How can companies be consistent with their messaging when reaching these fragmented audiences?

Negative news spread through social media can have a swift and damaging effect, and it can continue to spread even after the facts of a situation have changed. How can companies (and their communicators) most effectively counteract negative news in the social media space?

Is there any way for companies to shield themselves from reputational damage online? If so, what might that involve?

How do companies handle activists that are determined to spread negative messages about their organization?