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When Tragedy Strikes: The Social Media Etiquette Guide

The deadly shooting that took place in Ottawa has highlighted, once again, the ethical quandaries around the use of social media during a tragedy.

Just as reports from local Canadian news outlets were coming out, the hashtags #OttawaShooting, #StaySafeOttawa and #PrayForOttawa jumped into action–serving as both a spread the news of the tragedy, as well as offer support.

Social media has given us the ability to stay on top of every important, and tragic, event that’s happening in the world, in real time.  And that’s amazing! We live in a time where we have the unique ability to spread the news to a worldwide audience with just a click. But with this “power” to share our opinions with the world, we often forget to be sensitive. These are REAL tragedies happening to REAL people, and a little sensitivity to that will go a long way.   

Think before you tweet

Sports Illustrated model Chrissy Teigen experienced a barrage of angry tweets in response to this tweet she posted shortly after news of the shooting broke out: “Active shooting in Canada, or as we call it in America, Wednesday”

Teigen’s attempt at a witty comment on gun control issues in the US fell flat. Her followers immediately took to Twitter to berate her for the controversial tweet. And it got out of hand very quickly, with tweets like “Don’t let the door hit you in your undernourished butt on your way out of the United States” and “I hope someone murders someone you love…” |

Really? I can’t believe that so many people chimed in with such hateful responses. Remember the old adage “Two wrongs don’t make it right”? The supermodel posted soon after that she was quitting Twitter after receiving dozens of death threats.

Obviously the tweet Teigen sent out was ill timed and I’m sure she regrets it, but the backlash was incredibly inappropriate. Just because we have the ability to share all of our thoughts in an instant, doesn’t mean we should!

Newsjacking the tragedy

In the aftermath of the Newton tragedy in 2012, a big box store tweeted their condolences using the hashtag #Fab15Toys. While it IS appropriate for businesses to stop and acknowledge the event, share condolences with those affected – using a self-promoting hashtag in the tweet is completely inappropriate and insensitive.

The retailer later apologized for the tweet, explaining that they used the hashtag to garner exposure to the tragic event. Whatever the reason, the use of the hashtag was in poor taste and viewed as such by followers, who chimed in with their distaste.

Bottom line for business owners: Using a tragic event to gain followers and draw attention to your social media is just plain unethical.

Showing consideration (and common sense)

To save you some embarrassment, and help you keep it classy, I’ve put together a few tips on how to manage your social media when a tragedy strikes.

• Acknowledge the tragedy and extend your condolences to those who have been affected. Keep it simple with something like “Our thoughts are with Ottawa today.”
• If you’re using a social media schedule tool, such as Hootsuite, for example, take a quick review of the posts and tweets that are in the queue. Remove those that are promoting your company. Marketing your company during a tragedy will make your company appear at though they lack empathy. I would also recommend rescheduling tweets or Facebook posts that are lighthearted or humorous, especially those scheduled for the day of the tragedy.
• If you’re running paid ads on social media, give some thought to how they would appear in light of the tragedy and if needed, hit the pause on your ad campaign for a few days.
• Let the “real” reporters report on the details of the event, the victims—and anyone else involved. Even though we have streams of content coming in live, as events unfold, we aren’t “there.” Especially for company accounts, make sure your brand is seen an objective third party—your message should only convey support and offer help where you can help.
• Share information on your social networks about how others can help with recovery efforts, if there is something set up (such as funds that might be set up to help those affected by tragedy)

During a time of crisis, such as the one that we experienced in Ottawa, the clock stops for a while. It’s impossible to approach such a day as “business as usual.” Use common sense when sharing content on social media the day of the tragedy, and in the days that follow.

Posted by Margaret Page in Communication and tagged social media etiquette.