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Top 5 Twitter disasters

When tweeting goes wrong

Wednesday 1 February, 2012

By Duncan Heaney

Sometimes Twitter users get it wrong. Really wrong. Still, what’s the worst that could happen...?

If you’ve got an internet connection, chances are you’ve been on Twitter at least once. If you haven’t, you should - used properly, it’s a great source of information and entertainment.

Of course, that’s not always the case. With thousands of people constantly sharing information, a seemingly innocuous tweet can have unexpected consequences, as the following examples show...

McDonalds Stories lose the plot

McDonalds found that if you’re not careful, Twitter can burn you faster than a molten apple pie. The fast food company started a social media campaign that highlighted the work of its suppliers, using the hashtags #MeetTheFarmers and #McDStories.

But rather than promoting its business, the world-famous meat n’ cheese dispensary found itself the injured patty when the #McDStories hashtag was hijacked by dozens of Twitter users, who had decidedly uncomplimentary stories of their own, and an urge to tell the culinary chain to burger off.

The subsequent McFlurry of tweets ranged from angry, to sarcastic, to jaw-droppingly offensive (and unfortunately unpublishable). Among them were these nuggets:

“3 times I have purchased the Benedict Bagel, 3 times I have had egg shells right through. #mcfail #mcdstories”

“I lost 50lb in 6 months after I quit working and eating at Mcdonalds”

“So PETA and McDonalds got into it today on Twitter. I was surprised. I didn’t know there was actual meat at McDonalds. #McDStories”

I’m lovin’ it? Apparently not.

Ed Miliband makes an unfortunate typo

Those of us of a certain age have a lot of love for Blockbusters - the best quiz show on TV that wasn’t called Catchphrase.

Part of the reason the quiz was so fondly remembered is that it was grounded by one of the most genial and likeable game show hosts ever - Bob Holness. Sadly, Holness passed away in early 2012, prompting an outpouring of sorrow and tributes from Twitter users across the UK.

Labour party leader Ed Miliband was among them. Unfortunately, he didn’t check his tweet before clicking ‘send’, and wrote:

“Sad to hear that Bob Holness has died. A generation will remember him fondly from Blackbusters.”

Just a few days earlier, fellow MP Diane Abbott had been accused of racist tweets, and had been rapped on the knuckles by Miliband, so the unfortunate gaffe couldn’t have come at a worse time. Rumour has it that the sound of the British Twitter community’s collective facepalm could be heard all the way in France.

You might be thinking that an (admittedly poorly timed) typo isn’t particularly noteworthy. You’ve got a fair point, but that didn’t stop the tabloids plastering it over the front pages the next day, embarrassing Miliband and his party alike.

Intern hijacks MP’s Twitter account

Milliband isn’t the only politician to get in trouble over Twitter. MP Tom Watson was also left a little red-faced after an intern hijacked his account.

It seems that Watson forgot to log out of Twitter before he left for a meeting. While he was away, one of his interns saw an opportunity to use his account for some hijinks and shenanigans. As it turned out, it wasn’t the wisest decision they could have made.

The intern used Watson’s account to tweet: “I should log out of my twitter so that my intern doesn't twit-rape me.”

While some found the prank funny, others were shocked. Clearly the intern didn’t think about the implications of the words chosen, or the offence they could cause - at least not initially. A few minutes later, a second, rather more frantic, tweet appeared:

“My boss is in a meeting, i've made a terrible mistake, im very sorry everyone, it wasn't meant to be offensive! logging him off now! sorry!”

When Tom Watson returned, he apologised for the incident: “I sincerely apologise for the recent tweet. A lesson learned for a young intern. She's also very sorry. I will deal with the matter offline.”

While some people thought the intern should be fired, the wider Twitter community is rather more forgiving. A campaign to save the intern sprung up within minutes, using the hashtag #SaveTheIntern.

Misjudged tweet lands tourist in a cell

It’s no secret that security agencies monitor social media sites, so you should be careful what you write.

Leigh Van Bryan learned this the hard way. Upon arrival in Los Angeles airport, the 26-year old Brit was barred from entering the US, handcuffed and stuck in a cell for 12 hours. His crime - using the wrong words on Twitter.

Bryan had booked a holiday in the US with a friend, and before he set off he sent a tweet to his followers:

“Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?” In British slang, “destroy” can mean to have fun, or party. Although Bryan explained this to US security officials, they remained unconvinced.

The tweeting tourist was also quizzed on another post he’d made, a reference to the animated US comedy Family Guy:

“3 weeks today, we're totally in LA p****** people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up!”

Security personnel quizzed Bryan about the tweets for five hours, even going so far as to search his luggage for shovels or equipment suitable for exhuming deceased starlets. Eventually, they just stuck him on a plane back to the UK.

The holiday goer wanted to “destroy” America. But in the end, the only thing that was destroyed was his hopes of a holiday.

Twitter destroys a Hollywood romance

Jennifer Aniston: actress, popular people’s sitcom princess (with lust-after hair)... and Twitter hater?

It seems so. In 2009, the relationship between Aniston and her then-boyfriend John Mayer came to an abrupt end. It seems that Jen had become fed up with her beau spending hours on Twitter instead of paying attention to her.

It appears that Mayer was too busy to respond to Aniston’s calls or messages, but still found time to tweet updates every hour. Infuriated by this, and presumably wondering if Mayer could be any more addicted to Twitter, the former Friends actress gave Mayer his marching orders.

Bit of a mistake on Mayer’s part really. Attractive, successful and interesting - Twitter’s great. It’s a wonder he bothered with romance in the first place.

Final thoughts

The moral of all these stories is be careful what you write on Twitter. After all, we’re quick to implement parental controls on our kids’ web access - but who’s going to look out for those of us who lack a decent self-editing gene? Beware, the Twittersphere has a long memory.

Twitter sand sculpture photo by Rosaura Ochoa.