Olympics Social Media Sideshow

Every two years for the past few years I’ve written something before the Olympic games about the IOC’s social media and web rules, which are overly controlling, out of touch, and behind the times. This year is no exception. Even though we are just a few days in, there have been several stories vying for the most outlandish social media excess medal. For example:

Carmi Levy wrote an article just before the games began entitled The IOC’s social media anti-lesson for business that starts off with:

As the final hours tick down until the 2012 Olympic games get started in London, you can call the International Olympic Committee anything you want. Except social media-savvy.

Last week, the IOC touched off a bit of a firestorm when it released a four-page document outlining proper use of social media tools like Facebook and Twitter during the games. In an age when tweeting from a smartphone is more natural for some than picking up the phone, some of the limitations are laughable

Two athletes so far have been expelled from the Olympics for racist tweets. I don’t have a lot of sympathy for those athletes, though. Despite what anyone might say about over-reaching social media rules, there are things that it is simply imprudent to say, and they should know better. 

Then there is the NBC – Twitter – Guy Adams debacle. Some people have been very vocal about what they perceive to be poor Olympic coverage by NBC. One journalist in particular has been tweeting rather prolifically about it. Twitter shut down his account after NBC apparently complained, which led to a huge protest. But the reason given for cancelling the account didn’t hold up, and he is tweeting again after the complaint was withdrawn.