Did you know a policeman can order you to Tweet, and If you refuse you can be arrested?
Got your attention, didn’t I? It’s true; at an event promoting the actions of one of the latest teen sensations, the crowd got out of control. One of the people responsible for the event was asked to use Twitter to help reign in the hysteria, and failed to do so. Result? Stainless Steel Bracelets.
Speaking from my not-a-lawyer-or-a-police-officer-or-government-official position, I’m trying to wrap my arms around this, and having a hard time.
We all have legal responsibilities that govern our behavior. For example, your right to free speech ends, as the saying goes, when you yell “fire!” in a crowded theater. But that’s what you can’t say. I’ve never heard of being in a position where you must say something.
The event “custodian” could have used the microphone on stage to ask people to calm down or disperse. Or if he didn’t wish to participate directly in the effort he could have allowed the peace officers seeking his help to use the microphone, megaphone, or whatever was at his disposal. But compelling someone to speak personally? Yikes.
Let me be clear: I think he should have helped. Now ask yourself again how important Twitter, Facebook, and other tools like them are, and whether you have an effective strategy for using them.
