How are social media changing the way we communicate? Well, for one thing, when a high school kid makes a snotty remark about the governor on Twitter, it can turn into a political issue. Check out this report on NBC Action News (KSHB-TV) of Kansas City. According to Jake Peterson of Action News, it happened during a student government program at the Kansas state capitol when Emma Sullivan, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in the Kansas City suburbs said she thought Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback "sucks" and posted it to her Twitter account. The next day she was called into the principal’s office.
“He explained to me that someone from Brownback’s office got a hold of it and sent it to someone in charge of the [school] district,” she told the reporter.
That was just before the Thanksgiving holiday. But the story went out on the wire services, and Brownback started to take heat for it. Perhaps typical was commentary on Time magazine's website by culture and technology reporter James Poniewozik that said "Brownback’s office did what any mature adults would when wounded by a high-schooler’s comment: they tattled. The governor’s office notified the program, and word got to Sullivan’s principal, who scolded her and insisted that she apologize. You read that right: a state governor’s office lodged a complaint over someone being a h8r on the Internet." At any rate, according to Peterson's follow-up story on NBC Action News, Brownback promptly got out from under the issue.
“My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms," he said. "I enjoyed speaking to the more than 100 students who participated in the Youth in Government Program at the Kansas Capitol. They are our future. I also want to thank the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum."
And the Johnson County (Kan.) School District issued this statement:
The district has not censored Miss Sullivan nor infringed upon her freedom of speech. She is not required to write a letter of apology to the Governor. Whether and to whom any apologies are issued will be left to the individuals involved.Fences mended. End of story.
The issue has resulted in many teachable moments concerning the use of social media. The district does not intend to take any further action on this matter.
LATER. An Associated Press story in the Kansas City Star tonight (Monday) quotes a self-described "social media lawyer" as saying politicians don't understand social media. It's not a Republicans-versus-Democrats thing, it's a generational thing:
The reaction exemplifies what Bradley Shear, a Washington, D.C.-area social media attorney, called an example of the nationwide chasm between government officials and rapidly evolving technology.
"This reflects poorly on the governor's office," Shear said. "It demonstrates their P.R. department and whoever is dealing with these issues need to get a better understanding of social media in the social media age. The biggest problem is government disconnect and a lack of understanding of how people use the technology."
Brownback's office declined to discuss its social media monitoring in detail, but politicians and governmental offices across the county are increasingly keeping an eye on the Internet for mentions of their campaigns or policies, not unlike the way newspapers and television broadcasts have been watched for decades. Many officials even maintain their own Facebook and Twitter accounts to inform constituents of events or policy announcements.
Shear said the disconnect comes in determining how, or if, to respond in a new age of interactivity.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/28/3291132/kansas-gov-says-staff-overreacted.html#ixzz1f4H3S68F
1 comment:
This is what I was saying in my paper. Until society as a whole learn the consequences of using social media as well as the laws governing it, we will never be able to use it to it's fullest potential. The next generation I believe will not struggle so much with this issue. They will be the ones designing the software, upgrading systems and writing the laws governing them. Kids are already learning keyboarding before they ever learn to write.
One the other hand it is my turn to have a tangent. Since when is it okay to be tweeting while listing to the Governor or anyone else speak? And yes, she is covered by the first amendment but in this age of technology did common courtesy and manners just go out the window? And once again why is this making national headlines? I guess it is a teachable moment to all but if it weren't for twitter and other advances in technology no one would even know her name.
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