Learning Etiquette with Lillington and Technology

ETIQUETTE ON SOCIAL NETWORKS continues to evolve, as both journalist Karlin Lillington and communicator Damien Mulley point out to their readers and followers.

Karlin's piece in the Irish Times continues this thread of discussion as she points to stupid people tweeting. Actually, the examples she cites reverberate through the mainstream press as celebrities and attention-seekers continue using Twitter as a form of public texting service--as they're entitled to do.

That kind of communication isn't my cuppa tea and that's why I manage Twitter via lists and alerts. And yet, plenty of savvy communications professionals use their Twitter pulpit to open the day, share their breakfast menu items, moan about public transport, scream about customer service (see screenshot) and then wind down the day with dozens of tweets telling anyone listening that it's time for bed. That all sounds like noise to me so I don't listen. However, as Karlin's piece suggests, the masses want voyeuristic Twitter chatter like this and in many slow news weeks, the tabloids depend on tweets to fill inches of space in their papers.

As I was reading the Irish Times technology section, I was also listening to Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis and Kevin Purdy talk about the "new rude" of business communications. I snipped ten minutes of their conversation from This Week in Google because it's relevant to a Public Relations practical exercise we're doing in LIT-Clonmel. I especially like the idea of getting a free meal from undisciplined mobile phone owners. Let me know if you want to join me at a dinner before Dalkey Open to put your phone in a stack on the table.

The New Rude

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Karlin Lillington -- "Think before you tweet" in the Irish Times Technology section, February 13, 2012. I read the Irish Times on my Kindle and bought the subscription because of Karlin and other fine journos.

Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis and Kevin Purdy -- "You must be this dope to enter" on TWIG 129, January 9, 2012.

etiquette