Comments on: A multi-generational Metzger take on socmed chatter

By: Nate Warren

Nate Warren — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:26:46 +0000

And to answer Steve’s question: those gripping mayoral updates are from users of a mobile application called FourSquare, which allows them to “check in” to various businesses addresses using the location-aware app; users with the most check-ins at a locale become “mayors,” or as I like to call them, “knobs.”

By: Doyle Albee

Doyle Albee — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:29:48 +0000

I think the entire "don't be on social media because someone might get in trouble" is sad, really, but we see it far too often. It's easier—and perhaps more safe—to simply stop people from talking. But wake up, middle management, you can't. Let's use blogs.sun.com as an example. Here's a large, publicly traded company hosting more than 5,500 employee blogs on it's site. Rather than telling employees they can't do something (there is, after all, that pesky little First Amendment issue!), why not help them learn to do it well. Using this logic, if I worked for a telephone company, for example, and someone asked me if I had any recommendations, rather than saying "call my company, or can I have someone call you?" I should say "well, if you go to the Yellow Pages, you can call our 1-800 number… I'm not allowed to tell you about what we offer because I'm in accounting, not sales." That's stupid, and so is a blanket lock-down of social media. As you note, this too shall pass!

Thanks for joining the conversation!

By: Chris Burns

Chris Burns — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:45:14 +0000

Very interesting perspectives from all. I think social media (socmed – a new term for me) is still in it's infantcy. I'm in the middle years so, I did not grow up with it – but I think the outlook for it is vast and we all have no idea just how big it will have become 10 years from now – and beyond.

A as blue suit public employee, the managers in my organization are putting out rules and guidance telling us not to participate in socmed becaue of liability, perceptions, etc. – as I listen to their views and directives I am reminded of the managers I had in the early 90s who said the "internet thing" was a waste of time and a passing fad.

By: Steve Ludwig

Steve Ludwig — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:14:36 +0000

Excellent post, I've shared on FB.

Thoughts: I get Doyle, Gabe's and other Tweet updates on FB. And, sadly, I don't understand half of what the hell they are talking about because it is code. If communication is meant to be understood, I'm baffled by this. Then again, if I don't get it, I'm not the audience I suppose. (WTF is the mayor of this place and that place?).

Because I have a public life, I try to limit personal updates because they can and will be used against me. Still, I'm amazed that some updates will hit a nerve and a lot of people will respond. To Doyle's point – the social interaction of "how was my weekend"…as long as it wasn't about eating my oatmeal.