ABSTRACT
Achieving the goal in people's Theory of Change will require people to engage with a volume and variety of people through social media channels. The risks become even greater when the message is a poorly received attempt at humour or a misapplied meme. The value of pausing and reflecting on people's message before clicking “send” should always outweigh the pressure for any immediate witty reply. Poor practices will also be highlighted and amplified through social media channels with similarly negative consequences. There are many examples of poor personal practice that have had a damaging impact on reputation. Elon Musk’s reference to “Pedo Guy” in a tweet about the rescue of stranded Thai schoolboys led to a well-documented court case. The legal defence involved a debate about the meaning of the phrase used by Musk and the basis of its use in his childhood home of South Africa.
