[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of_2FlQAWww?wmode=transparent]
While it seems like an erotic limerick, the reality is that while I have been away this week the US has been hit by another sex scandal. Part of what makes this scandal so interesting is the way in which the technological tools we use have played such a drastic role in the story.
Politicians engaging in affairs has been a long established pattern of power, but our communication technologies are putting a new spin on the whole event. Whether it be a camera phone image or a posting on a social networking site, there is no longer assumed privacy...in fact, I believe the opposite should be taken as the norm. A photo will go viral, a sex tape will eventually be leaked and while Twitter can be a tool of media companies and revolutions, it should be respected for its power to get the message out, whatever that message might be, as quickly as possible and to as many people as are interested in you. So why are politicians, celebrities and athletes continually falling into the trap? And how could a "technophile" such as Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) make such an error, and error that will have consequences in every dimension of his life? If this were a chess game, watch how he lost: 1) No naked photos-Someone will always see it and most likely many, many people will see it 2) Twitter DM or Direct Message is not a smart place for private conversations. The goal of social media sites is not to withhold information, it is to share it 3) Get your story straight- Don't blame hackers, when you simply used the wrong Twitter prefix. It looks bad enough for a married politician to be caught sending sexy pics, why make it worse for yourself? 4) If you did this more than once, don't be surprised when all the skeletons come out of the closet, please review #1 and #2 5) A pregnant wife caught in the middle of a sex scandal, even if she knew about the "inappropriate exchanges" prior to marriage, will not help you win a popularity contest...stay tuned! To read more about Weiner's Twitter Snafu: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/07/anthony-weiner-twitter-dm_n_872590.h...,b=facebook