Alright class pay close attention.  This is exactly WHAT YOU DON’T DO with a Twitter account, or with any readily archived, publicly accessed social platform.  To be honest, hopefully you don’t do anything like this at all.

So the Twitter echo chamber started buzzing a couple days ago about a very public meltdown by a very disgruntled reporter, namely David George Cosh, tech reporter for Canada’s National Post.   

Apparently Cosh was upset that a potential source for a story he was working on didn’t jump as high and as quickly as he would have liked.  Cosh was apparently upset because the potential source, marketing consultant April Dunford, had not returned a phone call in time for him to make his story deadline.

When Dunford, who had no other involvment in the story says she didn’t know Cosh before the event, returned the call a couple of days later all digital hell broke loose.  Apparently the exchange was pretty heated, and resulted in this Twitter post from Dunford:

“Reporter to me “When the media calls you, you jump, OK!?” Why, when you called me and I’m not selling? Newspapers will get what they deserve”

Oh, baby.  Hell hath no fury like a reporter backtalked.  

After seeing the tweet, Cosh launched into what will surely go down in twistory as a text book example of why, at the very least, you should always stop, breath and think about what you’re sending into the vastness of the public space.  

 

sirdavid: @aprildunford what the fuck. I called you for comment two days ago. What did you expect when you called me back? Don’t post that shit online

sirdavid: @aprildunford furthermore, I called you several times in the afternoon. Don’t be condescending to me when I actually wanted to talk to you

sirdavid: @aprildunford how about you stop blasting personal conversations on twitter and call me back. what the hell is wrong with you.

aprildunford: @sirdavid All I did was return your call. I didn’t expect you to do anything. Wow. Like, seriously, calm down.

sirdavid: @aprildunford & then repost everything? & then hang up on me & don’t call back? I’ve recorded everything. U don’t look as nice as u put on

aprildunford: @sirdavid Dude – I never said who you were. Twitter meet David. David is having a bad day. David, meet Twitter.

sirdavid: @aprildunford hey april – fuck you. seriously. fuck you.

sirdavid: @aprildunford if u can’t handle any heat from what u post and immediate hang up, fuck u. u know my number. u call if you want to settle.

aprildunford: @sirdavid Re-read what you have just Twittered. Then re-read what I Twittered. Deep breaths David. Calm.

As you can guess,the news is all over the net, Cosh has locked down his Twitter page and deleted the exchange.  But, of course, we have archives.  Check out the screengrab of the convo courtesy of Media Style.

And I think Dunford says it best. Keep a level head at all times "Re-read what you have just Twittered…Deep breaths…Calm.

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