Retweet with Care

The announcement of Osama bin Laden’s assassination was one that reverberated throughout the United States and even across the world. It was also one of those moments that inspired many to take to the social sphere and weigh in with their thoughts on the situation. If you happened to catch your Facebook or Twitter feed during the moments that followed the announcement, then you know exactly what we’re talking about. But it also provided an interesting social media case study in the days that followed.

One popular quotation that was repeated over and over throughout the social world in the 24 hours following the bin Laden news was:

“I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

Whoever first posted this sentiment incorrectly attributed its origin to Martin Luther King, Jr. And of course, it sounds like something that would have been spoken by the pacifist Civil Rights leader. The only problem was that there’s no actual proof that King said it. In fact, it appears to be a combination of a Facebook status update and part of a quote from King’s 1963 book Strength and Love.

The point is, the quote is inaccurate. But on social networks, there isn’t always the motivation to research things like this. If it sounds good, there’s more value in being one of the first to pass it along to your network. As the saying goes, “a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its pants.”  If you are speaking as a representative or on behalf of your company, it’s wise to think before retweeting, even if you trust the source. Passing along misinformation can be very detrimental to your organization’s reputation. In other words, think before you tweet.

Around the Web:

MLK, Mark Twain quotes go viral — and are wrong
http://hcp.lv/kuRGbh

Martin Luther King, Jr. misquoted after Osama bin Laden killed
http://hcp.lv/m1clH3