Following is a recent Twitter conversation I had with
"The Honourable Tony Clement, CPC, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario"
I hope you'll take time to read and comment. I'm extremely curious as to your reaction.
Context: of late, regarding Twitter:
- I've been grappling with how to not waste time of customers of the "professional" me; while at same time, expressing "personal" me.
- I discovered to my delight that it's quite possible (with some effort) to have multiple twitter accounts - so I am at work as we speak, re-organizing so my customers aren't subjected to my personal tweets unless they so chose.
- I follow many twitter ppl -including those who share my views, and those who differ.
I initiated this conversation with Tony Clement, whom I follow (and with whom I differ politically). I admire that he replies personally & is witty & funny. I offered a suggestion to him, that he might want to get a second account - one for his official "CPC" stuff, and one for his personal "ain't I having fun" stuff. I did so in context of having spent endless days and hours in the last 3 months, having decided this was necessary for & trying to figure out how to do this for, myself.
- Am I just too thin skinned?
- Did I say anything to provoke this nastiness?
- Am I wrong to assume/assert that an elected official on my payroll, should keep his professional twitter account "professional"?
Seriously want some feedback. (Worried I may be chanelling Cliff Clavin here... )
His account name is @TonyclementCPC
- based on that, I expect this to be an official CPC professional communication forum
- If I address him at this address, I expect him to reply in a professional capacity and manner, as an elected official ( ie: my employee....)
Here is the actual conversation
Tues Aug 09,2011
TonyclementCPC: As an added bonus, @rushtheband 's Alex Lifeson is here rockin out to the @foofighters too! 7:29pm, Aug 09 from Twitterrific
HeartAGlow Aug 09, 8:31pm via Twitter for Android
.@TonyclementCPC. I appreciate yr jovial tweets at same time find them utterly offensive.RU aware of conditions most Cad's r in? #cdnpoli
TonyclementCPC 8:55pm (via DM to me)
Hey there. I'm not changing who I am just because ur offended. If u don't like my tweets, it's easy & painless to Unfollow. Thx
HeartAGlow Aug 09, 8:57pm via Twitter for Android
.@TonyclementCPC My gift2 you. "get a 2nd acct"Stop flauntin ur lake holidays/concerts/gadabout life on yr elected official acct. #cdnpoli
To: TonyclementCPC Aug 09, 9:13pm (via dm me to him)
I think u misunderstood:-) I was offering what I think mayb useful 2U.Not ask u2 change/just as easy4U 2 seperate personal twts frm official
TonyclementCPC 9:02pm (DM to me)
I think I will listen to my 18000 other Followers,but thx 4 the "advice". I have no idea what lake holidays ur referring to. I've had none
HeartAGlow Aug 09, 10:03pm via HootSuite
.@TonyclementCPC sorry if mymemory fail in ref 2 lakeholidays.my advice was not in quotes/not sarcastic.sincere whensuggest you get2nd acct
TonyclementCPC 9:16pm (DM)
Thx again, but I cannot see how a person can be official one minute & personal the next, in different accounts. I'm serious AND whimsical...
HeartAGlow Aug 09, 10:11pm via HootSuite
.@TonyclementCPC It ain't that hard :)I LIKE 2 flwU 4 govt news.I dont care what u do away frm office anymore than u care what I do!#cdnpoli
Update : This received via DM from Tony Clement!
ReplyDeleteTonyclementCPC Aug 11, 3:16pm
Sorry but if you reveal private DMs that is not good Twitter politeness. Consider yourself blocked.
Anyone else find this ironic? I never asked/invited him to DM me - I understood that I was speaking with an elected official on his official twitter account and therefore our conversation was public.
MM
Afterthought - Mr. Clement's concern appears to be that by sending me DM, he had an expectation of and/or a right to privacy in this exchange. I find this rather strange from a Minister in a government that is determined to enact laws that will mean that no Canadian will have privacy, neither expected nor actual, on any form of communication on the internet?
ReplyDeleteMM
Maggie, I think you were way out of line for sharing the DM -- regardless of Mr. Clement's political stripes. Also, if you have followed him, you would know that he fought for greater privacy while industry minister.
ReplyDeleteI also think you stepped over a line in your attack on Mr. Clement -- and yes, it read like an attack, not "free advice." And, frankly, if he split his account, he would have two boring twitter feeds instead of one interesting one.
Hello Cheryl, Thank you for taking time to comment. Much appreciated! I've received a fair amount of feedback via twitter, from people who both agree and disagree with my decision to post his DM's...very interesting points being made both pro & con. I'm keeping an open mind and welcome all opinions.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, I still stick by my decision.I do believe that an elected official should have a professional account in which to engage in conversations with his constituents regarding government business. I follow him for that reason, and do not find news/announcements regarding his elected duties at all boring. I do however find his comments about his personal life,amusing as they are,offensive. Perhaps I failed at conveying that opinion to him politely.
But I was frankly astounded at his reaction and curious as to how others viewed it.
Kind regards,
Maggie
Here's an analogy which may help explain why I believe a 2nd account is a good idea in some circumstances/for some people. Consider this - if a company has a twitter account, their customers follow it for news/info about that company. And to make their concerns known/their voices heard, to the company. Customers would not want to hear what every employee had to eat that day or what music they like to listen to (unless perhaps the company is a restaurant or a music store). Nor would customers want to know all the personal details of each employee's life.
ReplyDeleteIn my case, I made decision to have second account for that very reason. I consider it a courtesy to my customers,as well as a good business practice. It doesn't make me any less real. I'm not pretending to be different things to different people...just showing respect for their time, by investing my time to engage them in topics of interest.
Respectfully, I suggest that our public servants could show us that same consideration.
Cheers, MM