Social Media Blunders

By now, you’ve probably heard of the agency VP who was traveling to visit his client FedEx in Memphis who Tweeted an unsavory note from the airport. His thoughtlessness was unappreciated by FedEx employees and did not go unnoticed.

Or what about the prospective employee at Cisco who pondered aloud via Twitter whether or not to accept the job offer? She wrote; “Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.” A channel partner at Cisco responded “Who is the hiring manager. I’m sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the Web.”

Perhaps Michael Phelps crushing the dreams of admirers around the globe with one careless slurp grabbed your attention?

Here’s an email sent from a youth soccer coach to the parents of his new players. Certainly this is a frightening introduction to a man who will be mentoring children.

Each of these lapses in judgment resulted in bad circumstances. Lost business, wasted opportunities, revoked endorsements, and resignations… Perhaps well deserved, but nonetheless a reflection of the new age we live in. Is this a case of digital Darwinism, weeding out the utterly techno unsavvy? Carelessness taken to new heights? Sheer stupidity?

Whichever you believe, the key takeaway here is: Don’t be an idiot.

Do you have a social media blunder to share?