Years ago, it was much easier for businesses and public figures to keep their actions and conversations private. The Internet and the 24/7 news cycle have changed that.

U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina's recent comment that her opponent's hair is "so yesterday" and other remarks have now been viewed by tens of thousands of people on YouTube. She made the comments while awaiting a television interview, unaware that her microphone was on.

This gaffe is nothing, though, compared to former U.S. Sen. George Allen's blunder in the 2006 election. While running for re-election in Virginia, he was captured on video calling an Indian American "macaca," a word considered a racial epithet. The video was uploaded to YouTube and generated a firestorm of criticism. Allen's subsequent apology and explanation didn't help much, especially after other reports surfaced that painted him as a racist. He lost his re-election bid.

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These days, most smart phones are equipped with audio recording devices and cameras, and many can also record videos. Phone calls can be easily recorded, and microphones can be live when you least expect it. It's possible for your words or actions to be recorded anywhere and anytime, and this data can be shared on the Internet in a matter of minutes.

Furthermore, the written word is easier than ever to share in the Internet age. An internal company document can become public with a few mouse clicks, and an e-mail intended to be private can be easily forwarded, either accidentally or on purpose.

The consequences of negative information surfacing can be devastating. It can weaken or damage brands, leading to lost revenue and market share. It can set a movement back, cripple a career and embarrass a company.

Here are just a couple examples from dozens of incidents over the last few years:

The Humane Society of the United States released video footage in 2008 showing disturbing practices at Chino's Westland/Hallmark Meat Company. Consequently, revelations of the plant's slaughter and treatment of sick cows led to public outrage, a massive beef recall, criminal prosecutions and the closure of the plant.

Comcast technician fell asleep on a customer's couch while waiting on hold for technical support from the company's central office in 2006. Since then, a video of the incident, along with disparaging commentary about the company's service, has been viewed more than 1.5 million times on YouTube. The technician lost his job, and the company was derided by the media and bloggers.

The solution to such risks would seem to be simply exercising more restraint in communication and putting systems in place to prevent covert gathering of information. However, there's no foolproof way to prevent the disclosure of information you'd rather be kept private.

The real issue to address is whether there's a disconnect between your reality and the persona you're trying to project, or between your company's reality and the brand image it's trying to project.

If what's happening at your company is different from what you represent to the public, chances are that people will eventually discover the truth. The consequences can be far-reaching, and no public relations effort can make the situation go away.

The best way to avert a public relations problem in the future is to look inward and make sure you can be proud of everything your company and its employees are doing and saying.

You can start by conducting a complete audit of your company's practices and evaluating them one by one to determine if they align with your brand positioning and desired image. If you find discrepancies, be aggressive in initiating change.

These days, you really need to be who you say you are - or suffer the consequences.

Kelly Donovan owns Donovan Communications, an Ontario-based public relations consultancy. She is a member and past communications director of the American Marketing Association - Inland Empire. Reach her via www.donovancommunications.com.