This is how #AskTrump backfired on The Donald
Paste BN columnist Steven Petrow offers advice about living in the Digital Age.
On Monday morning, GOP frontrunner Donald Trump tried a self-defeating but classic exercise for candidates, CEOs and celebs. He asked his 4.2 million followers to toss him a question, any question, using the hash tag #AskTrump.
Before you knew it, the Twitterverse had replied with a barrage of questions, more of them naughty than nice, more insulting than inquisitive. It didn’t take long for #AskTrump to move up Twitter’s trending topics list to the No. 1 slot. Here’s a sampling:
Plenty of substantive questions also popped up on his feed:
Trump is hardly the first well-known individual to get in trouble with an invitation to “ask me anything.” Conservative commentator Ann Coulter once left a Reddit chat with a metaphorical black eye after users called her out on her stances against same-sex marriage and women's voting rights. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow took a similar beating when she exposed herself to conservative hardballs.
THE TAKEAWAY
For A-listers and candidates: Never ask a question you can’t answer. Double down on that advice when it comes to social media. Followers, fans and foes will take you at your word.
As for regular people floating such hot-potato questions as "How does this dress look on me?" or "What do you think of my new haircut?" I have only two words: Be careful.
A few years ago, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek column about trying to look younger, naturally. Implicit was the question: How do I look? One reader posted this in response: "Show me a man who stands up for his country or beliefs or family, not some vain, middle-aged narcissist who wants an award for shunning Botox and tanning salons!"
To anyone tempted to comment cruelly online, remember what your mother undoubtedly advised you at some point: If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. Double down on that advice when it comes to posting, since your words will live forever.
Definitely don’t worry about Donald Trump, though. He has clearly survived the day unscathed:
Agree or disagree with my advice? Let me know in the comments section.
Submit your question to Steven at stevenpetrow@earthlink.net. You can also follow Steven on Twitter: @StevenPetrow. Or like him on Facebook at facebook.com/stevenpetrow.