Twitter Boundaries 101
We are far past the lie of “it’s just Twitter” but you can keep believing that and you might get your ass handed to you 140 characters at a time.
Social Media has been the start and end of lots of folks we know, and those who are only survived by a story but don’t get caught up, please remember that unless you know someone, you really don’t KNOW them.
Many friendships and relationships now start on twitter but don’t assume friendship and ride or die - especially if you’ve been the only one initiating engagement.
Don’t get comfortable with people you don’t know. Don’t assume yourself to be a friend or confidant. Don’t assume emotion is reciprocated. Don’t assume.
* Polite conversation isn’t romantic interest. * Don’t go into the mentions of a stranger and treat them like a close friend. * Self Analyze: Read and re-read a tweet (and the thread) before you respond. Do the same with your response. Auto-Correct has never cared about any of our zingers, so be sure to give yourself a second before you let loose those Twitter Fingers. * End Reply All * Understand your limitations and think about how you will be received. It’s inevitable that you’ll find lots of amazing people and content on Twitter but that doesn’t mean you must RT and Fave their every thought. * Hesitate when giving personal information to strangers (On the TL or in DMs) Do your research, check your mutual follows. Take your time. * Learn the rules of engagement for your favorite tweeters. Some don’t like certain types of slang, some don’t like day old responses, some don’t give a single blue fuck about your opinion, others really like compliments, do giveaways, will help promote certain types of accounts of info. * It’s okay if you make a mistake - acknowledge, apologize and move on. * No one is obligated to engage or respond to you on Twitter. * End Reply All - Seriously, it’s 2016. Relax.
It’s very possible to find dope people with similar interests and cultivate amazing friendships. Like most, I’ve had mishaps but I’ve met some of the most inspiring and amazingly creative folks on Twitter - just be open to growth.