I’m talking mainly to my British readers here, but I’m sure you are all well aware of the many famous footballers that have got into trouble for saying things they shouldn’t have on Twitter. It’s quite probable that sports stars in America have fallen into the same trap as well, but I don’t follow traditional American sports so I can’t say for sure.
But y’know what, I don’t mind that. I’m not excusing some of the things they come out with, because a lot of the time it is pretty unexcusable. What I like though is that they’re actually using social media for what it’s intended for, and that’s being social. I like it when footballers or rugby players chat away with fans. I like it when cycling team owners like Jonathan Vaughters go onto Twitter or the forums to engage with fans. It’s a fantastic example of what is so exciting about social media.
Sure they may trip up now and then and say or do the wrong thing. I mean some may say that Vaughters was a bit too open when he disclosed information about the ‘fuelling’ habits of certain riders on the Cycling News forum this week, but to err is to be human, and I wouldn’t swap it for the world.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Vaughters/status/243469475544985600]
Contrast that with what many other famous people seem to do with their social media accounts, where it seems to be purely a PR exercise for them to push out anodyne messages and have absolutely no interaction with fans whatsoever. Victoria Pendleton’s Facebook page is a great example. The sad thing is that it raises serious doubts about the authenticity of it all, as the chances are pretty high that the page is fully written by members of that persons staff. It creates the impression though that whilst the celebrity is quite happy to take the fame and fortune that their status provides them, they’re much less happy actually talking to the people that have given them that lofty status.
So sure Joey Barton may come across as a plonker at times with what he says on Twitter, but I’d much rather have people like him using social media than a faceless PR person.
To combine a couple of quotes, "To err is human; to really foul things up requires a computer; and to forgive, divine." That about covers the social media kind of faux pax since we are all likely, not just celebrities, to go amuck.
Exactly Pat. When you're trying to be social, you're nothing if not human. If we want social media to be great then we have to demand participants to be as human as possible, mistakes and all.
I've no problem at all with people making the odd mistake on social media. Of course some mistakes are bigger than others, but still, we're human, and humans make mistakes.
It's not just celebrities though is it. I mean CEOs (when they tweet) often do so via a PR agency or something. They all miss the point that social media should be authentic.
I agree with Andrea that humans make mistakes . Such an interesting topic to ask for celebrities
Bet Chelsea wish that Ashley Cole wasn't so quick to share his feelings on Twitter.
Yes he does have a habit of putting his foot in it, but at least he's being true to himself, even if his true self is a bit of a prat.