The Perils of Re-Tweeting!
Sunday, July 26, 2009 at 8:31PM 
Ahem!
I re-tweeted a tweet yesterday, all to do with Microsoft plans of opening retail stores which for all intents and purposes, resemble Apple stores. No big deal as I re-tweet a lot of tweets if I find them interesting. I always give attribution, and wherever possible, I try not to edit the tweet, unless I need to reduce it to less than 140 characters.
All well and good.
Except, the tweet yesterday included a fairly common expletive.
I pondered about editing it out, but in the end, I re-tweeted in it's entirety. In hindsight, perhaps I should have masked the expletive.
I've had no negative feedback at all via Twitter, and never thought anymore about it. Until that is, a few hours ago when a relative of mine expressed surprise at the language I'd used in the tweet, which he thought was very untypical of me (perhaps he hasn't been around me when I'm trying my best at DIY).
The bottom line was that he'd mistakenly thought the tweet (and the language) was mine and was unfamiliar with the concept of the re-tweet. In case you're unsure, if you see a tweet that starts:
RT @username:
This means that I'm reposting or re-tweeting (RT) a tweet from @username to share amongst my followers (who may not follow the original poster)
I wonder how many more people also think I've started to develop a potty mouth?
I haven't, honest!
Reader Comments (7)
There's also the form: (via @username). I prefer the RT @username because it's usually right up front as a signal that this is someone else's post (and it's 3 characters shorter).
Ask the people who think the posting is yours just what they think the RT @username means. The answers should be amusing.
Don, I must admit I was mildly taken aback a first until the penny dropped and I realized you were re-tweeting. I'm not at all averse to a little effing and blinding myself on occasion but it's a different matter when you see it on the page isn't it. And no I don't think you've developed a potty mouth.
I was stunned when I first saw that coming from Don, but then saw the RT. But still, I know Don would have edited it out if he was paying a bit more attention. I'm a big boy, I found it amusing.
Anyway, no potty mouth, but I'm afraid you'll have to remove both hands.
Although I know how RT works, I too, thought
that the word in question came out of you. Strange ?
Who gives a fuck really? Surely we're all past the point where swearing is noteworthy. It's a completely artificial invention anyway; who decides that saying sex is ok but saying the f-word isn't?
As part of the ongoing Enlightenment can't we file swearing alongside religion in the 'outdated ideas' drawer?
Thank you for the information...it is an ever-evolving challenge to distribute information via twitter and/or blogs for the community that we service. The tricky part is to allow others to express themselves; while maintaining your own integrity.
RE: bobrudge's comment
> who decides that saying sex is ok but saying the f-word isn’t?
Polite people with a modicum of class, you swearing lout.
I find it both amusing and sad that you swear in your post, but then say the word means nothing. If you have so little to say, then say nothing. Does your Mom know you're using her computer to type swear words on the Internet?