Live Tweeting: How Much is Too Far?

We are all aware that social media has unmistakably changed the game in many ways. From Twitter to Periscope, there are so many ways to be interactive with the public. Live tweeting is something that has a very thin line. Where do you draw the line?

Live tweeting is tweeting during an ongoing show or event. The Academy Awards, GOP National Debate, or Grey’s Anatomy can all be live tweeted about. Lets look at some positives and negatives of this 21^st century craze.

Negatives

1. Spoiling a Show- If you are missing the finale of your all time favorite television series, stay off Twitter. You are guaranteed to find out what happens before you watch and ultimately become irritated you scrolled down to refresh your feed. For those live tweeting during a show, don’t give things away and everyone will be happy.

 2. False Facts- It is important to have an opinion on a political or social matter, but make sure you fact check before you send out a 140-character rant. Stating untrue statements can easily get you roasted by one of your followers in a matter of seconds. It is important to stay on top current events, but think before you type.

3. Not Actually Watching- The whole point of live tweeting is to interact, but there is a point where this can be taken too far. How many individuals live tweeting are casually typing at a commercial break vs. ignoring what is on television. Stay interactive, but make sure to actually tune in before sharing favorite moments or thoughts.

Positives

1. Diverse viewpoints- It is interesting to see what everyone has to say. Diverse viewpoints are a good thing and not everyone has to agree. It gets people thinking and learning more about a subject. As stated earlier, just make sure to do your homework beforehand.

2. Connect with Others- Almost every television series or live event nowadays has a custom hashtag to go along with it. Using the hashtag is a great way to connect with other active users or even those behind the show itself. Live tweet right and you might gain yourself some more followers or get a shoutout from your favorite character.

3. It’s Fun!- At a conference or on your couch, live tweeting is meant to be fun. Pay attentions and share your thoughts or favorite red carpet dress. Tweets are meant to be casual, so don’t take it too seriously and use it as a positive.

NBA Social Media Stir

Sports PR is a field that truly lives up to the saying “everyday is different.” Whether the public relations team is handling a regular game night or taking care of an incident involving a player, things are always interesting.

A prime example is how social media played a large part in free agent DeAndre Jordan’s decision of what step he wanted to take in his professional basketball career. Jordan was torn between re-signing with his current NBA team, the Los Angeles Clippers, or signing to a new team, the Dallas Mavericks.

Jordan’s uncertainty led to a number of players from both teams taking their part in the big decision to Twitter.

Next thing you know, more players started joining the Twitter emoji fun, even some who weren’t directly involved with the signing. Michael Jordan, often noted as the best basketball player ever, simply tweeted a goat emoji referring to himself as the “Greatest of All Time.”

Sports contracts and trade deals may seem irrelevant to those who are not sports fans, but they involve a high amount of business between managers and agents and seriously large amounts of money. Even ten years ago, you would have to stay tuned to the television or radio to hear the latest news. Now, players are announcing their decisions via social media before broadcasters report it.

Social media plays such a large part of a professional sports team off the field. It is not an easy job to monitor what players post about, but this situation definitely raises the question of if it should be allowed to handle business in this manner.