Social media, especially Facebook, is at its worst when posters are arguing with people who barely know the same person they barely know.
Wednesday night, after the murder of Charlie Kirk, it was ugly. So ugly, some of those who felt like they just had to post what was off the top of their heads got fired.
That was the subject of a radio interview I did on Friday, with 50,000 watt WJR-AM (Detroit) Hall of Fame host Paul W. Smith. To keep it simple, here’s what I told him:
“I’m going to give your audience some free communications advice.
Just because it feels like everyone you know in your circles is posting about something, it doesn’t mean you have to. You have no obligation. It’s OK to post nothing. It’s OK to not form an instant opinion and share it with the world. It’s OK to only talk to your family and friends about these things.
I think what happened in the situation the other day, and by the way, Paul W., I advised a few clients to just be quiet on social media for a little while, about anything, and just stay out of what looks like the fray.
But I think what happened is we got so much attention so fast, ordinary people felt compelled that they had to share an opinion on this. It was an opinion that was not fully formed and it’s gotten some people into trouble and that is when social media is at its worst.
And I believe it was at its worst in the last couple of days.”
Take it from me: Once upon a time, I posted about almost every thought about PR, often bordering into politics because that’s what’s in the news, that entered my head, mostly on Twitter. Maybe that served me well for a while, but in 2022, when posting about a press conference by the U.S. Attorney General starting late (and including no questions, so it wasn’t really a press conference), I received unvarnished vitriol. That included death wishes. Really.
Neither my skin nor my stomach lining are thick enough for that. So I cut back, gradually then, antisemitism directed to me, made me quit the habit completely. Since then, I have had no fights with strangers and have not lost a dime of business for not posting insights on Twitter.
As many learned this week, it’s just not worth it.
To listen to the entire radio interview, click here.