You know that everyone can see that, right?
The problem with being fascinated by a communication medium is that it can cause communicators to lose focus on what is really important in communications – crafting the message.
It appears that some are fascinated with Twitter to the point that they seem to believe it offers them a magical, protected space in which to communicate. Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts included a list of recent Twitter related happenings in their Washington Post column, The Reliable Source, which illustrates this notion:
- Jim Larranaga, Head Coach of the George Mason men’s basketball posted a tweet poking fun at NCAA regulations that limit snacks that coaches can offer players. Commentators picked it up and it got out of control. Larranaga had to do some public damage control and on August 23rd he announced his retirement from Twitter…via a tweet.
- Alice Hoffman, best-selling novelist, posted her displeasure with Boston Globe book reviewer Roberta Silman as a “moron” and “snarky critic” in two respective tweets. Hoffman has since apologized and shut down her Twitter account.
- Rock star Courtney Love invited a libel law suit from a designer whom she allegedly tweeted was a drug addict and a “nasty lying hosebag thief.”
- NBA player Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat tweeted a link to a photograph of his new tattoo; in the background of the picture were, regrettably, some baggies that looked suspicious. He announced, soon after, that he was entering rehab.
- Dallas Mavericks NBA team owner Mark Cuban criticized referees on Twitter. He was fined $25,000 by the league.
- Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich) tweeted out his travel status – “Just landed in Baghdad”. The problem being, however, that he was on a supposed-to-be-secret congressional trip.
Fascination with Twitter did not cause these communications. Many from this list have expressed themselves similarly, and with similar result, on other mediums before. Larranaga and Hoffman, however, have both left Twitter altogether…wisely, one might say.
It that seems they recognized Twitter is now a mass communications medium, with all of the same pros and cons as any other. And, they seem to have accepted that they, personally, do not have the message discipline to use it to further their goals, rather than detract from them.
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