– As Twitter and other tools go mainstream, there will be more noise and more people awkwardly and clumsily misusing them until they figure out that sound communications methods prevail there as elsewhere. It is our responsibility as "veteran" users either to have the patience to bear our favorite tools’ popularity, or to patiently explain why and how people are doing things badly.
Second, PR people are often under pressure from their managers to get results, thereby creating panic, or merely failing to educate, resulting in the "smile and dial" method of PR infiltrating new media channels. It is inevitable- but blame the senior people who fail to train and order their people out there pitching.
Less sophisticated users will keep coming. Deal with them or exclude them. That’s it.
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I think there have always been people mis-using Twitter et al, but just not at the same velocity that we’re seeing now (and will see in the future). If we value these communities, we have no choice but to help people along.
I am concerned that as the economy continues to wallow we’re going to see a lot more desperate promotion that may be immune to our requests and suggestions. Prepare for it.
Jim | @jstorerj