ABSTRACT
Since its launch in 2006, much has been made of the ways in which Twitter is different from other social media platforms. Twitter is designed not only to build and maintain relationships but also to share information. Image repair tweets are an increasingly common form of Twitter message. Benoit's theory of image-repair discourse outlines the conditions under which those who are accused of wrongdoing come to feel pressure to repair their public image. The chapter presents some case studies that suggest many advantages and disadvantages of using Twitter as an image-repair medium. Twitter affords its users the opportunity to craft and send messages the moment their image is threatened. More traditional image-repair forums, such as press conferences and press releases, require much more time and effort to construct. The chapter provides messages from athletes and celebrities to demonstrate how Twitter is used as an image-repair medium. Few high-ranking political officials have used Twitter to defend themselves.
