NYPD Twitter outreach goes predictably awry

The New York City Police Department starts a hashtag...and it gets hijacked almost immediately

Published April 22, 2014 9:25PM (EDT)

               (AP)
(AP)

We find it remarkable that this lesson still needs learning, but a word to the wise: If you're running the social media accounts for a controversial organization or individual, don't try to be cute and create your own hashtag...unless you want to see it hijacked by your haters within 20 minutes.

Don't believe us? Ask JP Morgan. Ask Michelle Rhee. Ask R. Kelly.

Or, as of Tuesday, you can ask the NYPD.

In a brazen attempt to destroy the department's reputation for competence and efficiency (hold the civil liberties, please) the people manning the NYPD's Twitter account decided on Tuesday that starting a hashtag, #mynypd, would be a totally good idea that wouldn't backfire in a predictable and high-profile manner:

[embedtweet id="458665477409996800"]

And with the starting gun having been shot, Twitter's many NYPD critics were off:

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[embedtweet id="458692813388255233"]

[embedtweet id="458704160687288320"]

[embedtweet id="458712636218015744"]

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[embedtweet id="458696997370085377"]

[embedtweet id="458684716447973376"]

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Plenty more where that came from, but we'll let Vice's Molly Crabapple have the last word:

[embedtweet id="458704654969237505"]


By Elias Isquith

Elias Isquith is a former Salon staff writer.

MORE FROM Elias Isquith


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Hashtag Hashtag Activism #mynypd New York City Police Department Nypd Occupy Wall Street Ows Twitter