We all have those Friday Nights. Just stay off Twitter!
And this rule is simply this: if you have a business account in which you represent more than just yourself (“JonSmithInc”) Do NOT tweet your personal opinions on Those Topics; you know Those Topics that your family always gets into fights over at big, messy holidays: abortion, politics, gays, whether Hillary Clinton needs her colours done, all of it. ALL of it.
I always tell my business clients to start with two Twitter accounts, not one. They hate me, thinking it’s double the work to set up, and it is, but whether you realize it or not, that Friday night is going to come, that Friday night when you’ve had two glasses of wine and someone says something and it just sets you off. And you use your business account to respond.
Observe the Twitter account of the hitherto mild-mannered and business-appropriate Uptown Sports:
uptownhockey Uptown Sports
Zach Hyman is Canadian Junior Hockey League Player of the Year! The Florida Panthers draft avg over 2.3 pts pg.http://tinyurl.com/3gz9xueuptownhockey Uptown Sports
Game’s 1st Star Cameron Brace of the Owen Sound Attack with huge OT marker to make #OHL series even @ 2. NHL scouts liking what they see.uptownhockey Uptown Sports
Very sad to read Sean Avery’s misguided support of same-gender “marriage”. Legal or not, it will always be wrong.uptownhockey Uptown Sports
To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal…uptownhockey Uptown Sports
But I believe in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. This is my personal viewpoint. I Do not hate anyone.
Personal opinions are lovely things, but personal opinions on inflammatory topics don’t belong in professional organizations’ twitter streams when those twitter streams represent (and this is key) other people. Here’s the bio of Uptown Sports:
Uptown Sports
@uptownhockeyUptown Sports represents Professional Hockey players such as Andrew Brunette, Cody McCormick, Chris Neil, Mike Fisher and Carlo Colaiacovo.
and from their website:
Commitment. Dedication. Integrity. The Way We do Business. For over twenty-five years Uptown Sports has been a consistent source of professionalism, and honesty in the hockey business. Since 1983, we have been representing professional athletes and guiding their careers through both success and adversity. Each of our clients receives a commitment to be represented with sincerity and loyalty, at every stage of their career. The level of commitment and personal service each client receives is what sets Uptown apart from others in the hockey business.
What you’re looking at here is a professional sports agency (think Jerry McGuire’s corporate parent) who has just learned the value of having that personal, Friday night account. Eleven people on staff and eleven NHL players, are suddenly associated with those comments, and are going to have a hard time in mixed company for the next few weeks as they blame it on “the other guy” and nobody believes them.
The Friday Night Personal Twitter account: if you haven’t got one yet, what are you waiting for? For me to blog about you?
UPDATE: a few more reactions from around the web:
- From HockeyWilderness
- From IMDB of all places!
- YahooSports
- NESN
- Buffalo74
- GameFAQa
raincoaster media 
Brigette
May 9, 2011
Unbelieveable, right? Why do people do this? How can they not think of the repercussions?
raincoaster
May 9, 2011
They’re going to think of them now. I have nearly eight thousand Followers who just saw it.
Steve_Sak
May 10, 2011
Interestingly enough, I broke one of my own rules in commenting on that tweet – I have, to this point, firmly adhered to the “if you don’t have anything nice to say…” rule, and make a point of not getting into any mudslinging online. People are entitled to their own opinions, and it’s not up to me to change them. I’ve always stuck to that rule, until last night, when the blatant hypocrisy of Uptown’s posts REALLY got my back up.
If you are an out and out racist or bigot, then fine. You fly your flag proudly for all to see, and people like me can shake our collective heads, and make a point of getting on with our lives separately. It’s the ‘closeted’ bigots that are the most dangerous, in my opinion; people who profess to be all-embracing and loving, and staunchly refuse to accept that any of their ideas could be considered hateful, because, come on…it’s just common sense.
I find that usually their speech tends to shroud a veiled hatred or prejudice – sometimes in a wisecrack or joke, sometimes by painting a unique situation with a broad brush – but Uptown goes right out and throws out the most hypocritical and contrary statement possible; I’m not a bigot, but they shouldn’t get the same privileges that we get.
Substitute in another uniquely identifiable group, and try it on for size. It’s pretty distasteful just to write:
* I’m not racist, and I think everyone is equal, except the blacks/latinos/Idahoans/Canadians.
* It’s a universal right for all Canadians to vote. Except for women.
* Everyone deserves provincial health care, but Japanese people don’t qualify.
What makes Uptown’s post even more trite is the weak and offhand effort to solidify his position as accepting with a parting shot: “I Do not hate anyone.” The man doth protest too much, methinks.
raincoaster
May 10, 2011
Very well-put.
Jonha | iJustDid.org
June 6, 2011
Hi Lorie,
You are right, it is very important to separate one’s personal views from that of the company’s. I see a lot of folks on Twitter who would always put in their Bio: “Views are of my own and doesn’t in any way represent that of the company”. I think we should all be responsible and professional enough to determine and preserve the thin line between job and personal.
raincoaster
June 6, 2011
If the views are personal, they belong on the personal account, ALWAYS. God knows, I’m all in favour of strongly-held opinions, but when you’re speaking on behalf of other people your voice should be that of the organization, not simply yourself.