Why Public figures should fear Social Media: What the Palin Twitter gaff teaches us.

I've been following the minor storm that erupted after Sarah Palin's recent comment about "that twittering thing". 

Funnily enough I became aware of it thanks to a tweet, after reading numerous blogs, I realized most people seem to have understood the comment as belittling the Twitter community (see her comment below).

“... Just you watch now, too, because somebody will be here with their little Twittering thing, and it’s going to be on the Internet any minute now.”
_{Source: mashable.com}

In fact I think the comment actually is quite the opposite, by trying to marginalize Twitter she has in actual fact shown how seriously she is taking the twitter and associated social media communities.

Forever gone are the days when the media could be manipulated in the favor of the one who has the most money or influence

Now the truth will out, distorted and opinionated for sure, but it will be tweeted, retweeted and commented on by those that do that "Twittering thing" and then spill out into blogs and mainstream media. (as this blog proves)

In 2009 Sky News recognized the fact that news no longer "breaks" via the tradition controllable channels but via social media and especially that "Twittering thing". This means that "Breaking News" can no longer be sold off to the highest or most influential bidder.

Imagine the panic of influential public figures who in the past only needed to make a phone call to their PR teams to make all but the most noticeable gaffs disappear.

Personally I imagine the call between Palin and her PR team, after her comment, to go something like this:

-- Ring Ring --

PR Agency: "Awful good PR agency, how may we help you"

Palin: "Guys this is Palin, I just made a bit of a gaff with this twittering statement, can you please embargo any journalist that were in the room."

-Awkward silence-

PR Agency: "Ah... erm..."

-Whispering in the background-

"You tell her, no you tell her"

-Another awkward silence-

PR Agency: "We know all about it, we just read it on Obama's blog, apparently he picked it up from a friend's facebook status, who in turn read a tweet by someone in India who retweeted the waitress from the catering company at the event"

^{Please note: this is an imagined fictional conversation and is not based on fact}

So you see instead of reproaching Palin, we should thank her for showing us that she believes the social community should be feared.

We are everywhere, we see everything and worst of all.... We have our own opinions that others listen to. Fear the social media revolution.

Do you agree with me? Does public figures fear social media? Has the once powerful lost the ability to control traditional media? Or have they found even cleverer ways of manipulating it? Let me know your views