“There’s no such thing as ‘off the record’ with Twitter.”
– Lost Remote*
I don’t know if Cory Bergman is serious about that statement or using it for a clever headline, but he’s wrong. That’s like saying “There’s no such thing as ‘off the record’ with notebooks.” Or typewriters. Or computers. Or vocal chords.
Twitter is a tool for journalism. When you’re a journalist acting in said capacity, you’re operating under the same set of ethics as when you’re in the newsroom, on the phone with a source or in any of other traditional setting.
I disagree. Writing something in a notebook, kept private, is one thing. Writing something you know will go into the public domain is another.
If I were to skywrite, “I'm a dork,” everyone should take that as fact because it was submitted to public domain under no uncertain terms.
Twitter is fair game under any circumstances.
Perhaps I should have said That's like saying “There's no such thing as 'off the record' with televisions, microphones or satellite trucks.” All of these are tools for broadcasting one-to-many, just like Twitter. Just because the barrier to entry is lower with Twitter doesn't mean ethics don't still apply.
Also, the news that you are a dork has been a part of the public record for a long time now.