I was talking with a pal the other day. My pal was ticked, having been treated rudely by someone they were doing business with.
Oh, were they ever ticked. Wanted some justice. Seemed ready to whip out their whuffie and take this person to task using all their social media might. Which didn’t sit right with me.
Is that really social media in action?
So I asked Twitter:
"When, if ever, is it ok to use social media as a vehicle for anger and revenge, hmm?"
Now, don’t get me wrong. There is incredible power in calling someone out publicly in one of these social sites. And I think there is absolutely a time and a place and a way to do that. But what is acceptable to me may not work for you. Food for thought:
- If you’re angry because of a private event or disagreement, when can you escalate that problem to a public forum?
- Where’s the line between venting and attacking?
- Is it acceptable to rail at a company but not an individual? What about a celebrity?
- Do the rules change for moral outrage versus garden-variety anger?
- How will venting anger or taking revenge reflect on you and your own business ethics?
Twitter, being the lovely place that it is, had some ideas.
What do you think? Given there’s no hard and fast rules, what’s appropriate for you, in the communities where you participate? When do you vent or confront? And when do you just put on your big girl panties and move on with your day?
