Clicky

close
  • Why V3B
  • Blog
  • Reports + Guides
  • Webinars
  • Contact
  •  Facebook
  •  LinkedIn
  •  Twitter
  •  Google +
  •  YouTube
V3B
  • Menu
  • Why V3B
  • Blog
  • Reports + Guides
  • Webinars
  • Contact
    • Guest Post Guidelines

Divorce, Social Media Style

By Shelly Kramer,

December 27, 2009
You laugh when you see the headline, but we are all only human (except for the bots and the spammers, that is) and, as such, we have spats, break up and, sometimes, we even get divorced. We not only get divorced from significant others, but sometimes we even get divorced from friends, co-workers, business partners or clients.

That was a big enough deal before the advent of the online world but now that so many of us live our lives online, it’s important to think about how we behave when we have a falling out with someone else or even, ultimately, get divorced.

Words last. Spoken words are long remembered, but written ones have an even longer life span. And on the Internet, words last forever.

I think it was the brouhaha involving @alohaarleen that made me realize how horribly damaging words could be, especially when circulating throughout the Twitterverse. I don’t know what exactly happened between Arleen and her ex-husband and, honestly, I don’t really care. I have enough on my own plate on a day-to-day basis that I have neither the time nor the inclination to be concerned about the alleged misdeeds of others. But, I do remember feeling shocked by the malevolence that was evident during that time period and can’t imagine how it must have felt to be the recipient of that.

My point is simple. Relationships happen. Relationships break up. That’s life. And we are all grown-ups. So we should act like grown-ups. And remember that the online world in which many of us choose to spend our professional and, often some of our personal time as well, is unforgiving. We should never forget to be very prudent, and careful about what we say, because what we say online is actually published. Written. Lasting. Permanent. Searchable. And with the potential to be very damaging, both to ourselves and to others.

You might read this and be thinking “Duh, that’s so simple, why would anyone ever need to write about it?” Well, I challenge you to stop and think – just for a minute. Have you ever said something to someone that you ultimately wished you would just reach out and grab back? Have you ever hit “send” on an email or a text and instantly regretted it, because it was something said in the heat of the moment that might, ultimately, damage a relationship forever? I know I have – on more than one occasion.

And the difference between doing that in email or a text message or even in a conversation is that those things typically happen between two people. My fab friend Diana Adams wrote a recent BitRebels post about spats that is amazingly insightful and I try and heed her advice regularly, on all matters, but especially this one.

And, as we all know, managing the interaction between two people is difficult enough, but when you bring the whole world into your life by interacting and engaging with others via social mediums, you open up a whole different can of worms.

So, indulge me. Trust that this occasional passionista knows what it’s like to say something that is regretted and the purpose of this post is as much a reminder to myself as it is to anyone else. Let’s all consider and respect the permanence of the online world that we inhabit and, as a result make sure we hesitate before diving into a pool that doesn’t allow us to hit the “do over” button. I know that I will try my hardest to do just that.

Shelly Kramer
Shelly Kramer

Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”

Popular Posts

  • Instagram Phishing: How to Prevent It and What to Do If It Happens to You
  • Experiencing Twitter Analytics Problems – This May Be Why
  • Email Tips: Clean Up Your Inbox With A Google Apps Script
  • The Hanna Andersson Story: When Losing Customers is Okay
  • 7 Keyword Search Tools for Twitter

Recent Posts

  • How to Personalize Your Outreach Emails
  • Using Concepts From Other Industries to Create Innovative Marketing Materials
  • How to Keep People Engaged with Your Page
  • How Mobile Marketing Is Evolving and Expanding
  • The Importance of Customer Reviews in Marketing

Our Family of Companies

  • Why V3B
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Guest Post Guidelines
  • Contact
© 2023 V3 Broadsuite. All rights reserved.
All content published by V3B is determined by our editors 100% in the interest of our readers, independent of advertising, sponsorships, or other considerations.