The power social media gives people to react, spread news about, and reverse things they don’t like is amazing. Never before have consumers/the electorate been able to effect such change so quickly.
We have seen a lot of consumers flexing their social media muscles in the past few months: Bank of America fees, Verizon payment fees, the Kormen Foundation & Planned Parenthood fiasco, SOPA & PIPA, etc. I can only imagine what the impact of social media will be on the upcoming presidential election. Companies and politicians need to think through what they are doing before they do it. They also need to carefully explain why they do what they do.
Companies and politicians really need to be prepared to do rapid damage control on social media when they suffer from foot-in-mouth syndrome or do anything that is likely to cause a strong reaction.
Are you ready to protect yourself, your firm and your clients from a social media backlash? If not you are behind the curve and had best get busy.