How’ll big names cope without privacy on Twitter?

25 May 2011

Social media is the voice of the outspoken. They don’t feel bound by privacy.

Renowned PR, Richard McCann MBA PhD MCIPR of Friday’s Media Group is used to helping big names with their profiles. Here’s how he suspects they’ll cope without privacy on Twitter. 

Phase 1
First, they’ll feel angry and litigious. Often, they’ll vent against random targets, for perceived wrongs.

Phase 2
Second, they’ll accept the futility of litigation. Their heightened anger will turn to fear and isolation.

Phase 3 – The fork in the road
Third, they’ll adopt a Howard Hughes-like existence. They’ll surround themselves in security. They’ll confine shopping to after-hours. And they’ll hide in blacked-out cars and remote houses behind electric gates.

Or
They’ll realise they’re as human as the rest of us. They’ll embrace their privileges. And they’ll find more enjoyment, less stress and, paradoxically, increased popularity.  

But then…
Richard, ever the news-anticipator, solemnly predicts: ‘One of the latter group will become a high profile victim of a random fan attack. That will send most of their peers into the first phase. It’s a regular lesson for me when I see the fear in clients’ eyes as they greet their fans. As one much-loved celeb said to me just a few evenings ago as we picked our way across Leicester Square, ever-smiling and ever-greeting: “Which one has the knife, and which one will punch me in the face, Richard?”’

You can find @follow_fridays on Twitter.

Who do you feel dictates privacy on Twitter? Government? Judiciary? Or Twitterati?
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