They say one of the hardest and truest ways to learn a lesson is to learn from your own mistakes. But let’s skip that part. Today we are going to learn from other’s mistakes with some social media worst practices.
This year, as social media increasingly became a go-to news source for people all over the world, celebrities and high-profile figures were learning some harsh lessons about social media dos and don’ts. With Anthony Weiner’s “accidental” tweet of a risque photo coming in a close second, this year’s #1 biggest loser in social media is… Ashton Kutcher!
Kutcher’s “Too Soon” JoePa Oopsie
In the midst of the Joe Paterno scandal, Ashton Kutcher said the wrong thing at such a wrong time. Without getting too much into the nitty gritty details of the Jerry Sandusky and Penn State drama, let’s just say that Kutcher really didn’t do his research before hitting “Tweet.” Had Ashton taken a moment to maybe read through the nut graf of a national publication or even read through his Twitter feed, he would have had at least a very fundamental understanding of the situation–and likely would not have made the remarks he did.
The big “oops” here was tweeting a strongly worded opinion about a current event without actually knowing the whole story. (This is how rumors and hear-say start, people.) Just hours after Joe Paterno’s firing in light of the children sexual abuse scandal at Penn State, Kutcher posted the following tweet:
Kutcher was attacked instantly. With over 8 million followers and a national spotlight cast upon him after his statements, Kutcher’s reach was exponential. Insults and cusses came in waves. What was worse–the comments he tweeted were reported in the media for weeks. Eventually, Kutcher came forward and made a statement acknowledging that he spoke too soon. He apologized for his offensive statements in light of a very serious situation.
After some of the dust had settled, Kutcher wrote in his blog: “A collection of over 8 million followers is not to be taken for granted. I feel responsible for delivering an informed opinion and not spreading gossip or rumors through my twitter feed” (Source: NY Daily News).
Needless to say, Kutcher learned his lesson about social media. Since the incident, he has sworn off of tweeting until he can find a way to remedy the situation and better maintain his Twitter account in a responsible manner.
Do you think Kutcher’s Twitter “oops” was the worst of the year? What other social media no-nos did other public figures do during 2011? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Nicole Scilingo 