UNC Communications About the Scandal
University of North Carolina Chancellor Carol L. Folt is on the hot seat to respond to a highly publicized scandal that the Washington Post says involved "an alarming lack of institutional oversight." Between 1993 and 2011, more than 3,100 students, many of whom are athletes, were given inflated grades and credit in bogus courses.
In a 136-page report, former U.S. Justice Department official Kenneth Wainstein describes "paper classes" for students and the involvement of many university officials. The university now faces accreditation questions and an investigation by the NCAA.
Chancellor Folt wrote a statement, trying to separate the university from its past and calling on its 221-year history.
Discussion Starters:
- Read the report. What principles discussed in Chapter 10 of the textbook does the report follow? Which are not followed? Overall, how do you find reading the report? What are the strengths and weaknesses in content, writing style, organization, formatting, and so on?
- Read Chancellor Folt's statement. What is her strategy for managing the crisis situation? How successful is her message in improving the university's image?
How Not to Respond to a Negative Review
Taking a page from Amy's Baking Company, a Cleveland restaurant owner attacked a reviewer. The guest posted a detailed, negative review on Yelp. 
Ninja Kitchen and Bar Chef Bac Nguyen didn't appreciate the comments. He found the guest's phone number and texted him. In a series of insulting messages, Bac Nguyen threatened him, disparaged his friend, insulted him, and called him names. Read the texts (NSFW).
Business owners are under tremendous pressure to deal with negative reviews. When a review is deemed reasonable, like this one, we expect the chef of a restaurant to issue a gracious response-perhaps a lot to ask of someone so invested in the food.
Discussion Starters:
- Compare this chef's response to that of Voltaire's owner. What differences and similarities do you see in the initial reviews and the responses?
- Draft a Yelp response for Chef Bac Nguyen. Consider something that would be intentionally public.
- What other advice would you give Chef Bac Nguyen about customer service and business communication?
Restaurant Owner Disputes Yelp Review
The owner of Voltaire, a Kansas City restaurant, didn't accept a critical Yelp Review. The reviewer and her lawyer-husband were busy in a meeting across the street, and Voltaire refused to package the food "to-go" for someone to pick up.
On Yelp, the reviewer gave Voltaire one star and explained the restaurant's refusal, beginning with the line, "Most unfriendly and arrogant restaurant in KC." In the owner's response, he confirmed that they don't offer take-out:
"I sincerely apologize that we don't offer "take-out" food at our restaurant. Being a Yelp user, I'm sure you were aware that on our Yelp business page, on the right side of the screen, it lists details about our establishment. There is an item listed "Take-Out : No." We have never offered take-out food as we believe the food we prepare should be presented as we see fit, (usually) on a plate inside the dining room."
The owner went on to draw an analogy between not offering take-out and not providing divorce assistance when one is a tax lawyer.
Although Voltaire reviews on Yelp are generally positive (4 out of 5 stars), a few comments may indicate other issues, such as this 2-star review:
"I'm mixed on Voltaire.
'The good: the food and drinks are incredible. Good enough to earn them back a star after a really unfortunate experience.
"The bad: the staff knows the food and drinks are good, but behave like that grants them a licence for difficult behavior. . . ."
Discussion Starters:
- Read the entire original review and the owner's response. Based on this exchange, did the owner handle the situation well?
- Even if you agree with the approach, what, if any, missteps did the restaurant make with this customer?
- Is the lawyer analogy effective? What makes an analogy false?
- What about the adage, "The customer's always right?" Has social media changed this?
- What's the customers' responsibility? How, if at all, did they act inappropriately?
NYC News Conference About Ebola
A news conference at Bellevue Hospital addressed the situation of the NYC doctor diagnosed with Ebola.
Mayor Bill de Blasio opened the conference by immediately allaying fears:
"Today, testing confirmed that a patient here in New York City had tested positive for Ebola. The patient is now here in Bellevue Hospital. We want to state at the outset – there is no reason for New Yorkers to be alarmed. Ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract. It is transmitted only through contact with an infected person's blood or other bodily fluids – not through casual contact. New Yorkers who have not been exposed to an infected person's bodily fluids are not at all at risk. And we want to emphasize that New York City has the world's strongest public health system, the world's leading medical experts, and the world's most advanced medical equipment.
"We have been preparing for months for the threat posed by Ebola. We have clear and strong protocols, which are being scrupulously followed and were followed in this instance. And Bellevue Hospital is specially designed for isolation, identification, and treatment of Ebola patients. Every hospital in the city is prepared in the event that other patients come forward."
Referring to the situation in New York as "a world apart from the scene that unfolded in a Dallas hospital last month," a New York Times article complimented Bellevue Hospital's handling of Dr. Craig Spencer's case. Using verbs such as "whisked," the writer explains how the New York hospital improved protocols for handling Ebola patients. The Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital is still recovering from criticism.
Discussion Starters:
- Watch the news conference or read the full transcript. What principles of persuasion did the mayor and governor use to assure the public of safety?
- What different roles did people play during the news conference? Who covered which information?
- What else could have been included in the conference? Is anything missing?
Uber Promotes Rides from "Hot Chicks"
As the ride-sharing service Uber tries to make inroads into France, BuzzFeed criticized one of its promotions. Through an app called "Avions de Chasse," Uber promised a free, 20-minute ride with a model. The promotion is explained on the Avions de Chasse website:
"Avions de chasse" is the French term for "fighter jets," but also the colloquial term to designate an incredibly hot chick. Lucky you! the world's most beautiful "Avions" are waiting for you on this app. Seat back, relax and let them take you on cloud 9!
The website also shows provocative photos of women.
Uber Lyon has withdrawn the promotion and announced the decision on Twitter.
The company also sent a statement to Huffington Post:
"We have decided to cancel the operation immediately, not having clearly assessed the situation, we sincerely apologize to the people who might have been offended."
Discussion Starters:
- Assess Uber's apology. What works well, and what could be improved?
- One website accusses BuzzFeed of "harassing" Uber about the campaign. First, what is "harassment," and is this an appropriate term in this situation? Second, what's your view: Is it appropriate to criticize the campaign or not?
Toys R Us Pulls "Breaking Bad" Figures
Facing too much criticism to ignore, Toys R Us has taken its "Breaking Bad" action figures off the shelves and off line. The figures reflect characters in the AMC show about a chemistry teacher turned meth maker.
A change.org petition questions whether the figures are appropriate for children: "...their decision to sell a Breaking Bad doll, complete with a detachable sack of cash and a bag of meth, alongside children's toys is a dangerous deviation from their family friendly values."
Social media comments indicate similar concerns, for example, "My childhood purchases consisted of furbies and barbies. But kids nowadays get to buy Breaking Bad action figures with fake meth."
At first, Toys R Us defended the dolls by claiming that the packaging, "clearly notes that the items are intended for ages 15 and up" and that they're only sold "in the adult action figure area of our stores." But Toys R Us changed its position. In a later statement, the company said, "Let's just say, the action figures have taken an 'indefinite sabbatical.'" This is a show joke, meaning they're dead.
For its part, Toymaker Mezko Toyz has said nothing.
Discussion Starters:
- Should Toys R Us have predicted the controversy and not released the figures?
- Did the company do the right thing by pulling the figures?
- What, if anything, should Mezko Toyz do now?
Toyota Airbag Recalls
Blaming its supplier, Toyota has recalled about 247,000 vehicles equipped with faulty airbags. This is part of the estimated 16 million cars affected by the Japanese-made Takada inflators since 2008. In a press release, the company explains the recall process:
TOYOTA INTENSIFIES EFFORT TO REPAIR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TAKATA AIRBAG INFLATORS
TORRANCE, Calif., October 20, 2014 – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today announced plans to conduct a supplemental safety recall of approximately 247,000 Toyota Corolla, Matrix, Sequoia, Tundra and Lexus SC vehicles produced from 2001 to 2004 and equipped with front passenger airbag inflators supplied by Takata Corporation. This action intensifies Toyota's efforts to reach customers and remedy previously recalled vehicles, and a small number of newly included vehicles, in certain geographic areas that appear to warrant immediate action, based on testing by the supplier. (Continue reading.)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a list of affected vehicles, most before 2004.
Discussion Starters:
- Read Toyota's press release. How is the company trying to distance itself from the defect and promote the Toyota brand?
- What else would you suggest Toyota do at this point to manage the news?
Which LinkedIn Connections Should I Accept?
I have a puritanical LinkedIn philosophy: I don't accept an invitation to connect unless I know the person, preferably having met in person. At the other extreme are the "open networkers," who connect with anyone. Somewhere in the middle is Michael O'Donnell, managing director at Thesis Ventures, who offers good advice for people to reject some LinkedIn connections. Let's consider these approaches.
I'm an introvert. I value fewer and deeper relationships. The only reason I have more than 500 connections on LinkedIn is that most are students, a naturally revolving bunch of contacts. Also, I've worked in several organizations as an employee and as an external consultant-I'm old.
If I connected with anyone, I would fear embarrassment when asked to make an introduction. This would upset my introvert sensibilities, forcing me to admit that I don't really have the relationships I claim.
Open networkers (or LIONs, LinkedIn Open Networkers) accept all invitations and often promote their willingness. For people such as recruiters, this strategy may work well to expand potential contacts. However, LinkedIn doesn't support this approach:
"'L.I.O.N.' is a designation used by several user-created groups and individual LinkedIn members to indicate a high level of interconnectivity to other LinkedIn members. This term is not endorsed by LinkedIn. As a reminder, only connect to people you know and trust and only join groups you want your name associated with."
Former LION Karalyn Brown says she regrets adopting this strategy three years ago. Although she has thousands of people in her network, she sees downsides: she's "fair game" for email spam, she finds it difficult to "to find people that I really care about and want to form deeper relationships with," and she's concerned that she looks "indiscriminate."
Being more discriminate is exactly what Michael O'Donnell suggests. Although he accepts connections from people he doesn't know, he'll reject requests for these reasons:
1. No picture or picture is an icon or company logo.
2. Incomplete or sparse profile.
3. Few connections and no recommendations.
4. Your invitation reads, "I'd like to add you to my professional network on Linkedin."
5. You lied about how you know me.
6. Your connection invitation was preceded by an InMail which was essentially a sales pitch for your company or products/services.
7. Your profile title says you are a "visionary" or you have 10,000+ connections...
Discussion Starters:
- What's your philosophy for connecting with people on LinkedIn?
- How does this strategy differ for other sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram?
- How have you used LinkedIn for networking?
Starbucks Allows Tattoos
On Monday, Starbucks employees can wear their tattoos proudly-no more long-sleeve cover-ups. The decision comes after a barista amassed more than 25,000 signatures on a petition that describes her goal: "Change the dress code to allow visible tattoos. I believe tattoos are a simple form of self expression and as long as they aren't offensive or explicit, I think we should be able to show off our artwork proudly."
To explain its new dress code, Starbucks created this graphic:
The suggestions sound reasonable enough: "Keep your nails clean," "Pull long hair back," etc. I happen to be writing this at a Starbucks, and the employees look neat and clean. But I'm not counting their earrings or measuring their gauges.
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of the tattoo policy? Was this the right decision? Why or why not?
- What, if anything, surprises you about the other dress code recommendations?
Dallas Hospital Explains Mishandling of Ebola
The Dallas hospital that misdiagnosed a case of Ebola has apologized and is trying to understand its own mistakes. The Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital's chief clinic officer wrote a statement explaining what happened to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations:
"Unfortunately, in our initial treatment of Mr. Duncan, despite our best intentions and a highly skilled medical team, we made mistakes. We did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as those of Ebola. We are deeply sorry."
Later in the statement, the hospital explains the nurse's situation:
"Also, in our effort to communicate to the public quickly and transparently, we inadvertently provided some information that was inaccurate and had to be corrected. No doubt that was unsettling to a community that was already concerned and confused, and we have learned from that experience as well.
"Last weekend, nurse Nina Pham, a member of our hospital family who courageously cared for Mr. Duncan, was also diagnosed with Ebola. Our team is doing everything possible to help her win the fight, and on Tuesday her condition was upgraded to "good," so we are all very hopeful. I can tell you that the prayers of the entire Texas Health system are with her. Yesterday, we identified a second caregiver with EVD. I can also tell you that our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family as well.
"A lot is being said about what may or may not have occurred to cause Ms. Pham to contract Ebola. She is known as an extremely skilled nurse, and she was using full protective measures under the CDC protocols, so we don't yet know precisely how or when she was infected. But it's clear there was an exposure somewhere, sometime. We are poring over records and observations, and doing all we can to find the answers."
The rest of the statement includes a timeline of events and lessons learned.
To help with its communications and improve its image, the hospital has hired PR firm Burson-Marstellar. A pointed Reuters report criticizes executive compensation and quality failures in the system. Although Burson is encouraging more openness from the hospital staff, the Reuters reporter calls for a closer look at the business.
Discussion Starters:
- If you were consulting with the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, what advice would you give them? Consider communication strategies and other business practices.
- Analyze the organization, content, and tone of the hospital's statement. What business writing principles does the statement follow and skip?
- Read the Reuters article. Which arguments are most compelling?
McDonald's "Our Food, Your Questions" Campaign
McDonald's is trying a more direct approach to addressing concerns about its food. In a new campaign, "Our Food, Your Questions," the company promises to respond to consumers' questions.
Some say it does so too willingly. A Huffington Post article, "Only McDonald's Would Advertise That Its Food Rots," questions the strategy. In a video featuring former "MythBusters" host Grant Imahara, we see a hamburger decomposing-not the most attractive sight. Apparently, this busts the myth that McDonald's food is indestructible.
Another video starts with the questions, "Are there lips and eyeballs in there?" and "At what point do we inject the pink slime?" Such a direct approach may raise more questions than it answers.
A TIME article also criticizes McDonald's. According to the writer, the company's campaign misses obvious questions about antibiotics and whether eggs are from cage-free chickens:
"If McDonald's really wants to connect with consumers, it should take a hard look at the practices behind the ingredients it uses and begin to change them incrementally. It could take a real stand for sustainability-including changing to suppliers and producers who raise meat without antibiotics. As the biggest fast food company in the nation, McDonald's choices are no small potatoes. A change like that could mean a much happier meal."
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of the new campaign? On balance, will McDonald's get the results it wants?
- McDonald's denies that this campaign is related to its poor performance. August showed the worst sales results in more than ten years. What do you think?
Wells Fargo Employee Asks for a Raise
In a bold email to the CEO, a Wells Fargo branch employee asked for a raise for all employees. Copying about 200,000 people, the employee cited income inequality, the CEO's compensation, and the bank's success as reasons to provide $10,000 to each employee.
Here's the beginning of Tyrel Oates' email:
Mr. Stumpf,
With the increasing focus on income inequality in the United States. Wells Fargo has an opportunity to be at the forefront of helping to reduce this by setting the bar, leading by example, and showing the other large corporations that it is very possible to maintain a profitable company that not only looks out for its consumers and shareholders, but its employees as well.
This year Wells Fargo in its second quarter alone had a net income of $5.7 billion, and total revenue of $21.1 billion. These are very impressive numbers, and is obvious evidence that Wells Fargo is one of, if not the most profitable company in the nation right now. So, why not take some of this and distribute it to the rest of the employees. (Read more.)
To me, his logic is flawed. An across-the-board increase does nothing to solve income inequality-and the request is oddly disconnected to Nadella's comments about women's pay at Microsoft just a few days ago.
In a Q&A with Business Insider, Oates says he's not worried about his job. He's going to college and wants to own an IT firm in the future.
Discussion Starters:
- If you were John Stumpf, the CEO of Wells Fargo, how would you respond to the email?
- Assess Oates' logic in the full email. Where do you see flaws in his persuasive arguments?
- What advice would you give Oates as he pursues plans to open an IT firm?
Vatican's New Tone About Gays
In what sounds like a significant turnaround, Catholic bishops released a summary of their two-week meeting, including new acknowledgements of homosexuals:
Welcoming homosexual persons
50. Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community: are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?
51. The question of homosexuality leads to a serious reflection on how to elaborate realistic paths of affective growth and human and evangelical maturity integrating the sexual dimension: it appears therefore as an important educative challenge. The Church furthermore affirms that unions between people of the same sex cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony between man and woman. Nor is it acceptable that pressure be brought to bear on pastors or that international bodies make financial aid dependent on the introduction of regulations inspired by gender ideology.
52. Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners. Furthermore, the Church pays special attention to the children who live with couples of the same sex, emphasizing that the needs and rights of the little ones must always be given priority.
According to Mashable, "Their report also reflected the views of ordinary Catholics who, in responses to Vatican questionnaires in the run-up to the synod, rejected church teaching on birth control and homosexuality as outdated and irrelevant."
However, a TIME article tempers excitement by explaining that the document says nothing binding: no new policy has been created as a result of the meeting. Still, the quasi-inclusive language is an encouraging shift.
Discussion Starters:
- Read the full report from the Vatican. What strikes you about the tone and messages?
- Is the news premature? Should gay rights supporters be happy about the news?
Walmart Worsens Healthcare PR
Blaming health care costs, Walmart is cancelling healthcare insurance for about 30,000 part-time employees who work fewer than 30 hours per week. The news is bad enough, but the company exacerbated the negative press with a tweet Huffington Post calls "bizarre and ill timed."
Walmart employees protested this decision and the 19% increase in premiums that workers will pay under Walmart's new plans. Under anonymity, a Mississippi employee told Business Insider, "Most of the employees where I work are struggling as it is, and to take away more of the very meager benefits we get is atrocious." An employee in Missouri said, "While this is a cost cutting [move] for Wal-Mart, is it a slam in the face for employees. Just another thing they are taking away from them." She is worried about coworkers "barely - and I mean barely - keeping their heads above water, even after working for Wal-Mart for almost 20 years."
Sally Welborn, Walmart's senior vice president of benefits, told reporters that Home Depot and Target also recently cut part-timers' benefits: "Health care costs just keep going up for all of us." The decision also is explained in a blog post. However, this tweet provided no context and seemed odd, given the news about cuts and increased costs, neither of which are reflected in this chart:
Discussion Starters:
- Read Walmart's blog post. Which are the most and least convincing arguments?
- In what ways do you support employees' perspectives?
- PR Daily's Matt Wilson summarizes the tweet situation: "Sometimes, Twitter just isn't the right medium for complex communications." Wilson also tells us that the tweet didn't link to the blog post, which provides more context. What advice would you give Walmart as the company considers tweeting after a report of bad news?
Microsoft CEO Regrets Comment About Women and Raises
Don't worry about pay, women, trust that the system will work. That was Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's suggestion during an interview at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing on Thursday:
"It's not really about asking for the raise but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along. And that, I think, might be one of the additional superpowers that quite frankly women who don't ask for a raise have, because that's good karma. It'll come back because somebody's going to know that's the kind of person that I want to trust, that's the kind of person that I want to really want to give more responsibility to. And in the long term efficiency, things catch up."
In addition to backlash on social media sites, Nadella's comment caught heat from a New York Times reporter who appropriately reminded us of the research:
"Women are paid less than men, and one reason is that women are less likely to negotiate for raises or promotions. They feel more anxiety about negotiating and are less likely to consider job situations to be negotiable, according to Linda Babcock, an economics professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a leading researcher on women and pay negotiations."
In an email to employees and in a tweet, Nadella said he regretted his comment.
From: Satya Nadella
Sent: Thursday, October 9, 2014 5:24 PM
To: Microsoft - All Employees (QBDG); Retail: All FTE
Subject: RE: Empowering OthersAll - Today I was interviewed on stage by Maria Klawe at the Grace Hopper Conference - I encourage you to watch the video. It was great to spend time with so many women passionate about technology. I was honored to be a part of it and I left the conference energized and inspired.
Toward the end of the interview, Maria asked me what advice I would offer women who are not comfortable asking for pay raises. I answered that question completely wrong. Without a doubt I wholeheartedly support programs at Microsoft and in the industry that bring more women into technology and close the pay gap. I believe men and women should get equal pay for equal work. And when it comes to career advice on getting a raise when you think it's deserved, Maria's advice was the right advice. If you think you deserve a raise, you should just ask.
I said I was looking forward to the Grace Hopper Conference to learn, and I certainly learned a valuable lesson. I look forward to speaking with you at our monthly Q&A next week and am happy to answer any question you have.
Satya
Update: Nadella apologizes again in an email.
Discussion Starters:
- Assess Nadella's original comment during the interview. Do you agree with him?
- Now assess his apology. In what ways does this change your thinking about his comment?
Teens Continue to Dismiss Facebook
The slide continues: In a new report cited in the Washington Post, only 45% of teens between 13 and 19 years of age use Facebook. The article warns that "teen whims are as volatile as Twitter's trending hashtags," but this trend is not new. Use has been rather steadily declining long before Facebook executives admitted the phenomenon in November 2013.
Are teens reading more books? Of course not. They are flocking to newer sites, such as Twitter and Instagram, which can both now claim a higher percentage of teen usages than can Facebook.
Discussion Starters:
- Should the trend worry Facebook executives? Why or why not?
- How does the changing demographic affect companies' presence on Facebook. What would you advise a company such as Abercrombie on its social media use?
Layoffs Coming at Hewlett Packard
To investors, Hewlett Packard's plan to split into two companies may be good news, but employees should be worried. HP will become two companies: 1) personal printers and PCs, and 2) corporate software and hardware. (This follows the news of eBay spinning off PayPal.)
CEO Meg Whitman explains the rationale:
"In short, by transitioning now from one HP to two new companies, created out of our successful turnaround efforts, we will be in an even better position to compete in the market, support our customers and partners, and deliver maximum value to our shareholder."
This slide warns of 55,000 layoffs to come. Original estimates were 5,000, but they grew to 45,000 - 50,000.
Discussion Starters:
- Revise the slide so it's easier to understand.
- The slide seems to be prepared for an external audience. How should HP be communicating internally? Consider the medium, message, and timing.
Zappos Does Damage Control About Layoffs
According to Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, the company's plans to lay off 30 employees started an "avalanche" of false reports. Part of the backlash comes from concern about Hsieh's promise to invest in Las Vegas. In 2012, he started the Downtown Project and poured $350 million into real estate and 300 start-ups that, today, employ about 800 people.
The perception isn't helped by an open resignation letter written by David Gould. Gould left a teaching job at the University of Iowa to join the Downtown Project. This is excerpt from the letter:
"Tomorrow, many of the people who merged their voices with yours will find themselves without a job. While their names have yet to be revealed, the disillusioned expressions I conjure up are keeping me awake tonight. This group will undoubtedly include numerous young adults, who have not yet found your good fortune. As they have naively purchased homes and started families, this decision will impact them greatly."
In response to the letter and other criticism, Hsieh puts the layoffs in perspective:
"We eliminated 30 positions from our corporate support staff. We directly employ more than 300 people, and through our investments there are over800 people working in our porfolio of companies in downtown Vegas. Later this week we are adding about 30 positions when we open up The Market and we plan to continue to grow our total job count."
A 2008 ZDNet article compliments Zappo's transparency when it laid off 8% of its workforce six years ago.
Discussion Starters:
- Read Hsieh's entire response. Which arguments do you find most and least persuasive?
- Read the 2008 ZDNet article. What has changed in social media in the past six years?
- Zappos usually wins points for its corporate culture. How, if at all, do you think that reputation factors into the media coverage?
SeaWorld Twitter Fail
SeaWorld's PR team may be too optimistic. Why would they think this promotional tweet would turn out differently?
Has SeaWorld not yet understood how inextricably the company is associated with orca whale captivity? The response tweets, such as this one, shamed SeaWord for its attempt to associate with saving whales: "@SeaWorld Those wild caught beluga calves you are trying to import - how did they get captured? Did they volunteer and jump into the nets?" (Louise @MissBrightside9 Sep 15.)
Other tweets reflected similar sentiment:
Discussion Starters:
- Should SeaWorld have known better than to promote this tweet, or am I too harsh? Maybe people should move on and accept that the company is trying to turn around?
- Imagine that you're a consultant for SeaWorld. What types of tweets would you recommend they post to try to rebuild the brand?
- Sam Berg, one of SeaWorld's former trainers interviewed in the movie Blackfish, said that possibly only one of the current whales at the park would be successful in the wild. Should people stop using the hashtag #emptythetanks?
Facebook Apologizes to LGBT Community
Facebook has always had a policy preventing aliases, insisting that people use their real names as their profiles. Recently, one user reported several hundred profiles that violated this rule. As a result, Facebook suspended pages of many gay and transgender people.
After meeting with people affected in San Francisco, Facebook officials understood that drag queens and others use aliases to protect themselves-to stay anonymous to friends, families, and employers.
Product Officer Chief Christopher Cox wrote this apology:
"I want to apologize to the affected community of drag queens, drag kings, transgender, and extensive community of our friends, neighbors, and members of the LGBT community for the hardship that we've put you through in dealing with your Facebook accounts over the past few weeks.
"In the two weeks since the real-name policy issues surfaced, we've had the chance to hear from many of you in these communities and understand the policy more clearly as you experience it. We've also come to understand how painful this has been. We owe you a better service and a better experience using Facebook, and we're going to fix the way this policy gets handled so everyone affected here can go back to using Facebook as you were.
"The way this happened took us off guard. An individual on Facebook decided to report several hundred of these accounts as fake. These reports were among the several hundred thousand fake name reports we process every single week, 99 percent of which are bad actors doing bad things: impersonation, bullying, trolling, domestic violence, scams, hate speech, and more - so we didn't notice the pattern. The process we follow has been to ask the flagged accounts to verify they are using real names by submitting some form of ID - gym membership, library card, or piece of mail. We've had this policy for over 10 years, and until recently it's done a good job of creating a safe community without inadvertently harming groups like what happened here.
"Our policy has never been to require everyone on Facebook to use their legal name. The spirit of our policy is that everyone on Facebook uses the authentic name they use in real life. For Sister Roma, that's Sister Roma. For Lil Miss Hot Mess, that's Lil Miss Hot Mess. Part of what's been so difficult about this conversation is that we support both of these individuals, and so many others affected by this, completely and utterly in how they use Facebook.
"We believe this is the right policy for Facebook for two reasons. First, it's part of what made Facebook special in the first place, by differentiating the service from the rest of the internet where pseudonymity, anonymity, or often random names were the social norm. Second, it's the primary mechanism we have to protect millions of people every day, all around the world, from real harm. The stories of mass impersonation, trolling, domestic abuse, and higher rates of bullying and intolerance are oftentimes the result of people hiding behind fake names, and it's both terrifying and sad. Our ability to successfully protect against them with this policy has borne out the reality that this policy, on balance, and when applied carefully, is a very powerful force for good.
"All that said, we see through this event that there's lots of room for improvement in the reporting and enforcement mechanisms, tools for understanding who's real and who's not, and the customer service for anyone who's affected. These have not worked flawlessly and we need to fix that. With this input, we're already underway building better tools for authenticating the Sister Romas of the world while not opening up Facebook to bad actors. And we're taking measures to provide much more deliberate customer service to those accounts that get flagged so that we can manage these in a less abrupt and more thoughtful way. To everyone affected by this, thank you for working through this with us and helping us to improve the safety and authenticity of the Facebook experience for everyone."
Discussion Starters:
- What was the rationale for Facebook's real name policy?
- Was changing the policy in this case the right decision?
- Assess Facebook's apology. What works well in terms of the message, organization, tone, and so on, and what could be improved?