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[Various Artists]

oh wow

Yeah. Not sure how those comments help.

 

[Stereogatari]

You know what these online witch hunts remind me of. The way tabloids sensationalise things.

 

[Machine]

That isn't for you to decide. Clearly. Someone in the company she worked for disagreed. Theres a million ways to be funny without saying something so goddamned stupid, but if you can't seem to find one, don't be upset at the reality of it possibly costing you something.

I'm sorry but one stupid comment should not warrant someone being fired. I really dislike that internet lynch mobs have essentially done away with the concept of second chances. Most people learn from their mistakes. If they are too dumb and keep making mistakes, that's when you fire them.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Know your audience

 

[Acorn]

Pretty much.

The thing I always try and think about whenever I read something "outrageous" or whatever online is that very often you're seeing just a tiny sliver of someone's life, and as stupid as some of their comments might have been, it's just as foolish and hypocritical to nail them to the wall for those little things.



And you will invariably slip up at least once, if not multiple times. I guess I hope you don't actually have the internet pop up to beat on you someday.

Save your personal shit for personal encounters and/or without your real name or job and fix your settings to not be public.

Whether I or you like internet mobs existing exist they do.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

So it's normal for someone who spits out juvenile, borderline racist stuff on Twitter like a teen to get such a job. Yea, ok.

Borderline racist?

 

[Ivan 3414]

"Senior director of corporate communications". Quite the high-end job for a 30yr old who made such statements. Must've sucked that major D to get that high up so early.

Wow dude.

 

[HoJu]

i guess we have no problem shaming others or getting off on making people suffer as long as we think they deserve it.

 

[Dawg]

You can't escape from me, Dawg. Your Smooth Criminal tweet will be your undoing!

lol

 

[vypek]

But what if it was a funny virus? >.>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJnklyxbcL8



I'd chuckle if a computer I had got this virus (only as long as I could stop it).

 

[Africanus]

One must always post as if their every words shall be under intense scrutinization.

Regardless of the sort of person one may be, if he or she misrepresents themselves, they may bring upon themselves the ire of the world.

"Doxxing", death threats, et cetera are not justifiable; yet there is little wrong in losing a job for posting foolishly.

 

[bsod]

I'm sorry but one stupid comment should not warrant someone being fired. I really dislike that internet lynch mobs have essentially done away with the concept of second chances. Most people learn from their mistakes. If they are too dumb and keep making mistakes, that's when you fire them.

So if you tell your boss to suck your dick despite being an otherwise exemplary employee you shouldn't expect to lose your job? If you tell a new client something racist that upsets them, you shouldn't lose your job? Where have you worked?

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I'm sorry but one stupid comment should not warrant someone being fired. I really dislike that internet lynch mobs have essentially done away with the concept of second chances. Most people learn from their mistakes. If they are too dumb and keep making mistakes, that's when you fire them.

Reminds me a lot of the fire colbert thing.

Someone misses a joke but as already raised a stink, so they can't back down then shift to them understanding it was a joke but finding a reason why the original reaction was still valid

I might have participated in this (don't really remember if I did or just watched) but if I did I did so out of ignorance of the person and was wrong, she did nothing to deserve this.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

So if you tell your boss to suck your dick despite being an otherwise exemplary employee you shouldn't expect to lose your job? If you tell a new client something racist that upsets them, you shouldn't lose your job? Where have you worked?

She didn't say anything racist. she mocked racists and she did it on a personal account that nobody would have seen had someone not missed the joke and decided to shame her.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I'm sorry but one stupid comment should not warrant someone being fired. I really dislike that internet lynch mobs have essentially done away with the concept of second chances. Most people learn from their mistakes. If they are too dumb and keep making mistakes, that's when you fire them.

"Okay, you can tweet unfunny stereotypical/racial jokes without anyone knowing anything about you other than you're ironically a senior director of corporate communications who created a PR nightmare just this once...BUT DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

 

[Spaced Harrier]

I don't know if its a uniquely American thing but I don't like the notion that once you have a job it owns all aspects of your life.

Or that you need to live in a perpetual stage of gratitude for the gift of employment.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

Wow, the way those things play out.... people are really vicious. :|

 

[Stet]

I'm sorry but one stupid comment should not warrant someone being fired. I really dislike that internet lynch mobs have essentially done away with the concept of second chances. Most people learn from their mistakes. If they are too dumb and keep making mistakes, that's when you fire them.

In PR, one stupid comment frequently warrants someone getting fired. Being in the role of Director of Corporate Communications, she should have known better.

We also don't know if this was her first stupid comment.



The lynch mob was uncalled for. The firing definitely was not.

 

[vypek]

Reminds me a lot of the fire colbert thing.

Someone misses a joke but as already raised a stink, so they can't back down then shift to them understanding it was a joke but finding a reason why the original reaction was still valid

I might have participated in this (don't really remember if I did or just watched) but if I did I did so out of ignorance of the person and was wrong, she did nothing to deserve this.

Hm? What was this about?

 

[Confrontation]

Borderline racist?

Actually fully. My bad.

 

[SteveO409]

She didn't say anything racist. she mocked racists and she did it on a personal account that nobody would have seen had someone not missed the joke and decided to shame her.

Yup and sadly its some peoples job to do that.

It’s possible that Sacco’s fate would have been different had an anonymous tip not led a writer named Sam Biddle to the offending tweet. Biddle was then the editor of Valleywag, Gawker Media’s tech-industry blog. He retweeted it to his 15,000 followers and eventually posted it on Valleywag, accompanied by the headline, “And Now, a Funny Holiday Joke From IAC’s P.R. Boss.”

In January 2014, I received an email from Biddle, explaining his reasoning. “The fact that she was a P.R. chief made it delicious,” he wrote. “It’s satisfying to be able to say, ‘O.K., let’s make a racist tweet by a senior IAC employee count this time.’ And it did. I’d do it again.” Biddle said he was surprised to see how quickly her life was upended, however. “I never wake up and hope I [get someone fired] that day — and certainly never hope to ruin anyone’s life.” Still, he ended his email by saying that he had a feeling she’d be “fine eventually, if not already.”

He added: “Everyone’s attention span is so short. They’ll be mad about something new today.”

Sacco felt this couldn’t go on, so six weeks after our lunch, she invited Biddle out for a dinner and drinks. Afterward, she sent me an email. “I think he has some real guilt about the issue,” she wrote. “Not that he’s retracted anything.” (Months later, Biddle would find himself at the wrong end of the Internet shame machine for tweeting a joke of his own: “Bring Back Bullying.” On the one-year anniversary of the Sacco episode, he published a public apology to her on Gawker.)

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Know your audience

my every tweet needs to be analyzed for every person on earth now?

the problem is her audience chose her without knowing the performer.

Its like being upset at family guy for jokes about the disabled or fat people.

 

[Loofy]

Shouldnt have posted it but I dont see the big deal. Sounds like a joke Colbert would make on air.

 

[bsod]

She didn't say anything racist. she mocked racists and she did it on a personal account that nobody would have seen had someone not missed the joke and decided to shame her.

You're not understanding, are you. Regardless of what you think she meant by her joke, she offended a lot of people. This made her a liability to her employer. You don't keep people hired that are a liability. Even if what you say is true, it still makes her look bad since it shows the fire to of communications doesn't know how to communicate.

 

[Slayven]

Folks need to learn Twtter is public, and if you are going to post crazy shit. make your account private

 

[Sai-kun]

She didn't say anything racist. she mocked racists and she did it on a personal account that nobody would have seen had someone not missed the joke and decided to shame her.

but...somebody did see it. it's not like she was in her home and making a joke to someone in private. she...she posted on the internet. a public space.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

my every tweet needs to be analyzed for every person on earth now?

the problem is her audience chose her without knowing the performer.

Its like being upset at family guy for jokes about the disabled or fat people.

not the same thing, and as a PR person she honestly should have known better.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

my every tweet needs to be analyzed for every person on earth now?

the problem is her audience chose her without knowing the performer.

Its like being upset at family guy for jokes about the disabled or fat people.

Yeah, we should really treat everyone as if they're Patton Oswalt whenever they post racial tweets.

 

[Jarate]

and people will defend the internet vigilante mob!

The sickest thing about all this is that people base an entire humans worth based off of a single thing posted for something that wasn't meant for you. It's one of the grossest part of the social media era and especially in our modern internet, is exceedingly silly and juvenile.

Yes, sometimes people will say dumb things or even things that taken without context can be seen as dumb. That doesnt mean you should be able to harass and intimidate them over those things. Especailly when those people are just average joes who might be ignorant and can be taught.

And all people get out of it is the satisfaction that they bullied someone into suicidal tendencies and depression. Hurray, that's way worse then stuff being posted on twitter.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Hm? What was this about?

there was a joke where colbert did "yellow face" someone found it offensive (missing the fact that he's satirizing racists) started a #cancelcolbert hashtag and she doubled down even when told colbert was satire

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Its like being upset at family guy for jokes about the disabled or fat people.

Sounds like a joke Colbert would make on air.

You folks don't know anything about comedy.

 

[vypek]

there was a joke where colbert did "yellow face" someone found it offensive (missing the fact that he's satirizing racists) started a #cancelcolbert hashtag and she doubled down even when told colbert was satire

Ah, I see. I completely missed this.

 

[Loofy]

You folks don't know anything about comedy.

Have you not seen Colbert? its pretty amazing how much he gets away with since people just shrug it off as him being in character(bigoted republican)

I have no doubt this lady is a colbert fan.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Man, Twitter is like World Star for white people. So many lives screwed up for some cheap e-fame.

 

[Kazerei]

It’s possible that Sacco’s fate would have been different had an anonymous tip not led a writer named Sam Biddle to the offending tweet. Biddle was then the editor of Valleywag, Gawker Media’s tech-industry blog. He retweeted it to his 15,000 followers and eventually posted it on Valleywag, accompanied by the headline, “And Now, a Funny Holiday Joke From IAC’s P.R. Boss.”

Months later, Biddle would find himself at the wrong end of the Internet shame machine for tweeting a joke of his own: “Bring Back Bullying.”

It was that dude? Oh dear.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

there was a joke where colbert did "yellow face" someone found it offensive (missing the fact that he's satirizing racists) started a #cancelcolbert hashtag and she doubled down even when told colbert was satire

Everyone knew it was satire. The point was that it was dumb and dated and racist still.

Have you not seen Colbert? its pretty amazing how much he gets away with since people just shrug it off as him being in character.

I have no doubt this lady is a colbert fan.

Colbert generally punches up and is far wittier than just referencing where AIDS is from and who lives there.

 

[tokkun]

Reminds me of GAF reactions to Polygon threads.

 

[civilstrife]

Quite the high-end job for a 30yr old who made such statements. Must've sucked that major D to get that high up so early.

Are you serious with this shit?

You are aware that it is possible for a woman to achieve corporate success without resorting to sexual favors?

What she tweeted is absolutely horrible. It wasn't an invitation to try to one up her.

 

[vas_a_morir]

She didn't say anything racist. she mocked racists and she did it on a personal account that nobody would have seen had someone not missed the joke and decided to shame her.

Well, like I said before: comics get away with stuff because people presume they are just trying to be irreverent. I heard Daniel Tosh tell a very similar joke to HUGE laughter 6-7 years ago. I think this is just an example of 'leave comedy to the professionals.' Nothing to gain and everything to lose by making a daring joke like that. While I think she was being ironic rather than expressing sincere views about how HIV works, I think she should have exercised better judgment because not everyone out there is used to that brand of comedy and they'll take it to heart.

I think the internet dogpile call-out warriors are awful. Not necessarily talking about this situation, but just generally. They care about something like it's the most important issue of our time for 3 days and then move on like locusts. People trying to shame the mother of the transgendered kid who tragically killed herself... what is your endgame? Just recognize the tragedy and move the fuck on with your life. Bullying a mother with a dead kid will not help anybody.

 

[Patapwn]

How many jobs has twitter taken?

 

[Slayven]

How many jobs has twitter taken?

How many stars are in the sky?

 

[bsod]

Have you not seen Colbert? its pretty amazing how much he gets away with since people just shrug it off as him being in character.

I have no doubt this lady is a colbert fan.

This doesn't make sense. Colbert is a comedian, this lady isn't. People aren't paying her for her sense if humor.

 

[terrisus]

One must always post as if their every words shall be under intense scrutinization.

Especially on GAF.

How many jobs has twitter taken?

You mean "How many jobs have people lost due to being stupid on Twitter?"

 

[NYCmetsfan]

You're not understanding, are you. Regardless of what you think she meant by her joke, she offended a lot of people. This made her a liability to her employer. You don't keep people hired that are a liability. Even if what you say is true, it still makes her look bad since it shows the fire to of communications doesn't know how to communicate.

I don't think its a good thing to keep the standard that people should be fired for misunderstandings, of course it makes her company look bad but we live in the age of the internet we should learn to be more forgiving because these things are going to happen again

but...somebody did see it. it's not like she was in her home and making a joke to someone in private. she...she posted on the internet. a public space.

Twitter is public but a person doesn't always tweet at the world, theycurrate their lists and tend to know who their followers are. My friends have made jokes that taken out of context look bad but they're making them to me and other people who know who they are. I don't think we need to censor ourselves so much, I'd rather people learn to be a little less quick to judge someone they've never met.

She's not a celebrity or politician or even someones who's personal views really matter, never mind the fact that her tweet wasn't offensive. Its only offensive if you miss the joke which people did because the saw 140 characters divorced from everything else.

not the same thing, and as a PR person she honestly should have known better.

A PR person is allowed to have a life.

Yeah, we should really treat everyone as if they're Patton Oswalt whenever they post racial tweets.

Why can't we take a minute and see if the person where screenshooting might have posted some other tweets that puts things in context. Biddle and others could have done 5 minutes of work, but nope, gotta get those clicks, people be damned

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

How many jobs has twitter taken?

None that weren't freely offered

 

[PhoenixDark]

No sympathy. This is a new day: shit you say online can cost you.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

You folks don't know anything about comedy.

I don't know comedy?

I'm not a comedian but I've made jokes and made people laugh. I don't do it much on twitter because of fears of this kinda stuff

This doesn't make sense. Colbert is a comedian, this lady isn't. People aren't paying her for her sense if humor.

She's performing for her friends on her twitter feed. They know her. Her tweets aren't for you unless you were following her.

That's the whole thing, public doesn't mean that its for everyone and that everyone is entitled to pretend they were the audience

 

[Stet]

A PR person is allowed to have a life.

Your life ends when right under your Twitter handle it says your job title and where you work.

 

[Jarate]

No sympathy. This is a new day: shit you say online can cost you.

So are you saying that because she made a joke that was taken out of context she deserves to be harassed and threatened leading her to deal with crippling depression and possible suicidal thoughts

I hope people understand that this is far worse then actual tweet itself ever was

 

[pestul]

She is not a comedian by profession. Its only safe for actual comedians to make racist twitter jokes.. or not.