Hello all! I am back after a wonderful vacation in North Carolina. It will be a busy week as I am starting my new job. As such, I am going to share only one article with you this Monday. My boss forwarded me this article, and I thought it was particularly timely. Several Olympic athletes have come under fire (just this weekend Hope Solo became caught in a Twitter controversy) or have been dismissed for improper social media use.
Social-Media Olympics: Are Officials Restricting Free Speech?
While I do believe in free speech, I understand the various Olympic Committees’ decisions to dismiss athletes. These athletes are ambassadors and representatives of their home countries. They should act as such. You may say this is a high standard, but we hold our government officials and leaders to the same expectations. And over the course of these 2 weeks, these athletes will receive more attention and hold more power than many of those same government officials. Thus, I respect the decision to dismiss athletes for improper social media conduct. However, it is a slippery slope. We must continue to protect our freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Without it, there would be no social media, no marketing or communications jobs, and, of course, no democracy.
Do you agree with the Olympic Committees’ decisions? Why or why not?
Love at "First" Site 