I really got a bee in my bonnet this morning. Here’s a DM (a “Direct Message” – a message sent only to me) from someone I’m following on Twitter and who is following me:
KrisMainieri: were u the one that sent me this link? – http://cli.gs/D5dsPp if so…THANKS!
I was curious, so I followed the link…he’s changed the re-route since this morning, but the tiny URL first directed you to krismainieri.com before you eventually land at internetsbestkepsecrets.com.
Here’s the rest of the correspondence:
CColeLewis: “were u the one that sent me this link? – http://cli.gs/D5dsPp if so…THANKS!
KrisMainieri: lol I sent you a question NOT spam…. I hate whiners please UNFOLLOW
CColelewis: I hate whiners, too. Just letting u know your message seemed deceptive…
CColelewis: …as you KNEW you did not get the link from me…you generated it yourself. This in my book is deceptive..what would u say?
He hasn’t replied to my final two DM’s.
At least Kris only had to deal with me. Walmart enraged the follwers of the blog “Wal-Marting Across America,” when the blog was revealed to be somewhat of a flog (fake blog). The blog relates the story about Jim and Laura’s trip across the country in their RV, where they spent evenings parking free in Walmart parking lots (a service Walmart offers to RVer’s) and chatting to happy Walmart employees. What they didn’t disclose was that Walmart paid for their trip, and that the blog was set up and hosted by Walmart. Oops.
Here’s the “true” story behind the fiasco: http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/oct2006/db20061009_579137.htm
You set yourself up for some serious “flaming” when you are deceptive. The spirit of Web 2.0 is total transparency. Those who are active 2.0 users are fierce protectors of this unwritten code of ethics. My chat with Kris was just a minor spark – learn from this, Grasshopper, and don’t you risk setting a bonfire by posting misleading online communications.
