Look Out! It’s the Social Media Police

I just read another post about what not to do on Twitter. Yawn. Here we go again. If there’s one thing I’m learning is that there aren’t any rules. Just because someone doesn’t like what other people Tweet doesn’t mean he has to govern the place for everyone.

It’s getting old.

Every now and then a member of the social media police decides everyone needs to use the space like he does and anyone who doesn’t is just doing it wrong.

Whatever.

I realize there are certain rules of etiquette. Not too many people like DM spam or autoresponders, for example, and personal attacks aren’t cool at all. We all know there’s a difference between sharing and spam and most of us get it. What I don’t get is why one person feels it’s up to him (or her) to decide how everyone else should blog. Or use Twitter, or Foursquare…or Facebook.

Personally, I like when other bloggers tweet links to interesting blog posts, even their own. I enjoy reading new things and hearing new ideas. If I don’t like a person’s linking policy, I’ll unfollow. It’s not up to me to tell him not to share his stuff. And if the guy across the way wants to @reply everyone who reaches out to him, that doesn’t bother me, either. If I don’t like it, I’ll just unfollow. And if someone else doesn’t respond to everyone who speaks to him, so what? It’s not my business if he’s not into talking.

Ok, so maybe there’s a lot of unnecessary information happening, but who am I to decide what others should post? If I don’t want to know who’s eating at Dunkin’ Donuts, I’ll ignore or unfollow. Twitter is a public place, why would I tell someone to take it to DM? I wouldn’t tell the folks talking in the halls at a conference or at the supermarket checkout to get a room, why would I do that on Twitter? If I don’t like what I see, I’ll unfollow.

In fact, I feel so strongly about this, I’m taking back my post from the other day and if I wrote any other social media police posts, I’m going to take them back too. Go ahead, send me validation requests. I won’t pay attention to them, but it’s not up to me to decide how you should use Twitter. If you feel better having people prove themselves, then, by golly, it’s your right to do so.

Feel free to play Farmville as much as you want. Share mares and goats and little lambs if that’s what you enjoy. I won’t participate, hell, I may even unfollow you if you send me too many cows but it’s not up to me put a halt to your Mafia Wars addiction.

Go ahead, ReTweet to your heart’s content. Post 100 pictures of your puppies. Tell us about your blogs. I’m not the one who makes the rules. What you do is between you and your friends and followers. If they don’t like how you use the space, you’ll find out soon enough.

Until then, carry on.

Deb Ng is a professional blogger, social media consultant and founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs blog network. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @debng. Just don’t send her any cows.

Be Sociable, Share!

•