"What are you doing?" about the risk of identity loss...

Over the last few months Twitter has become one of my favorite tools, much like a Swiss Army knife. Just when it seemed to be getting somewhat stable, USA Today decided to write it up in a feature story. Yeah, I know, that's a sure sign that it's yesterday's news. But...

When mainstream media starts to promote the question, "What are you doing?" the spawning effect inevitably brings on a ton of new users. It was no surprise to witness the reappearance of the Blue Whale, but I didn't expect the Twitter spam police. Here was I, hoping the recent infusion of $15 million in venture capital would be a boost to the Twitter dev-team, helping them keep up with the ever-expanding tweetflow. The latest crash leads me to think they must have taken a different path.

Many long-time Tweeple, tired of the "Twitter is over capacity" error messages had already put their plan-b's in place, migrating or complementing their Twitter accounts with one or more fall-back alternatives. Plurk, BrightKite, Identi.ca and Friendfeed, started to attract members of SM's inner circle. Like many of them, I came to discover and appreciate the value-added features found elsewhere, like conversation tracking in Plurk and the location-based Bright Kite. But, I return to Twitter because I simply couldn't take my friends there with me.

This wasn't a critical concern until last Thursday, when it came as somewhat of a shock to see my @by_designwise account sheared by more than 50% of the Followers and Following friends I had amassed. I had no way of knowing who I lost, no backup plan and no real way to trace my virtual lost friends on Twitter. I tried backtracking my own Tweets archives and recovered a handful, but even the archive was clipped after about a hundred entries.

Aurelius Maximus says, "Twitter just pulled the Ace from their sleeve and lit it on fire." Like any battered survivor, I quickly come to realize the value of having a risk-management program.

I consider the people I follow on Twitter as a valuable resource - my resource. But nothing is farther from the truth. In the current world of social media nothing is yours within the walled garden. Your Social Footprint is made up of a thousand puddles spread all over the social media grid, none of which are under your control.
My virtual friends are like fire, typically providing me with a warm, steady flow of thought-provoking information, occasional dialogue, a way to both promote and research my own work in public relations marketing and at least a chuckle now and again. When social media is all about the power of grassroots activism and the development of a public grid that sidesteps the mainstream corporate media, the latest Twitter meltdown should be seen as a wake up call - a facesplash of cold water from the Whale's tail. Big Brother may unexpectedly pull the plug on your virtual reality at any time, leaving you stranded like a Crusoe on a deserted isle. And like Crusoe your social footprints may be washed away by the next big wave to hit the beach.

"What are you doing?" about the risk of social identity loss...