The thing about Twitter is most people think it is very much like a live conversation... which it is, but then again it is not. Every tweet from every tweep is logged into the Library of Congress as a cultural and national narrative. This has been ongoing since 2010. So now the question to ask if you are wondering if something is ethical or not is: Would I want my great grandchildren to read this in a Twitter archive? Instead of the question: Would I want this action to appear on the front page of the newspaper.
I wonder if this is an actual cultural and national narrative? Only about 8% of America's population have a Twitter account, and far fewer than that actually Tweet regularly. For some it has the fascination of a snake charmer, for others it is a daily chore because it is part of a marketing plan. For still others is has that scintillating draw similar to the hope men had to see the nicely turned ankle of a woman alighting from a carriage. You might see it, you might not, but when you did the thrill was worth the glimpse.
Bauer certainly caused a stir when he hoped Carpenter's kids died from debilitating diseases. Does anyone think Bauer would have said this to Carpenter's face...with her children standing there? Would he have said this in a letter?
Why does anyone think that what is said digitally in any capacity -- phone call/message, Twitter, chat room -- won't come back to haunt them over and over again? Take a note children what ever appears on the Internet will haunt you all the days of your life. You might think it is scrubbed or deleted or overcome by an apology, but today more than ever a lapse in judgement is a worse curse on your career than ever before.
What's the question of today? Would a twerp tweet a tweep and it not go unnoticed?
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