The power of 'tweet'

In just a matter of minutes, one can be crucified through the power of the “tweet” — precisely what happened to Robert Blair Carabuena when a 27-second video clip that showed him mauling MMDA traffic enforcer Saturnino Fabros went viral last Tuesday. Versions of the video, first aired over TV5, almost instantaneously got uploaded on YouTube, shared and reposted on Facebook and became the trending topic on Twitter worldwide.

The outrage from social media became so widespread that Carabuena was forced to be suspended by his employer, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation, as it found itself dragged into the fray especially after enraged Netizens launched an online petition for the sacking of Carabuena. The incident is just one prime example of how your life can change overnight with just one “tweet” of a finger. Very likely the MMDA assaulter could potentially lose his job and driver’s license. Sadly, in a situation like this, you are immediately found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by virtue of public opinion.

To be fair, there are arrogant and corrupt traffic enforcers who are guilty, too, of making life hell for motorists. Add to that the aneurysm-inducing traffic problem that gets worse every year with more people, more cars and lesser roads. In Beijing, the overpopulation of vehicles and people virtually makes all their freeways seem like parking lots during all hours of the day. Metro Manila is getting there too with the dubious distinction of being the third worst city in the world when it comes to traffic according to CNNGo’s survey. This perennial problem has prompted calls for the automation of traffic management systems with magnetic road sensors that can adjust to the load of vehicles. In Dublin and Copenhagen, they have started using the Imflow adaptive management traffic system from Netherlands-based IT solutions provider Royal Imtech NV, parent company of Manila-based Fritz & Macziol.

Carabuena’s behavior is a typical symptom of road rage that made him go ballistic — which could have led to something much worse. Like the road rage resulting in the killing of 25-year-old Eldon Maguan by convicted murderer Rolito Go due to a simple traffic altercation. Even Ateneo basketball patron Manny Pangilinan couldn’t resist giving a sardonic remark about the incident, saying that Robert Blair should change his surname Carabuena to “Mala Buena” due to his bad behavior.

Anybody who gets subjected to the kind of harangue that Carabuena has been getting (with “I hate Robert Blair” Facebook pages sprouting violent and nasty comments directed against the bulky Ateneo graduate’s physical attributes) would be hiding under the bed wishing he could just vanish into thin air — which is precisely what Robert Blair did, going below the radar by deactivating his Facebook and other social networking accounts. In contrast, The MMDA traffic enforcer will most likely get a promotion for doing his job despite the verbal and physical harassment he was subjected to.

Social networking sites have provided people a virtual bullhorn where they can shout out their rants and raves to a global audience of millions, powered by cellphones, iPads and gadgets that make Internet access so easy. Politicians, business establishments and businessmen are now starting to realize the value of making use of online tools to help manage their reputations, confront issues and connect with their target market/audiences. Indeed, it has become the new power medium — whether positively or negatively. The social network can topple governments, ruin reputations, influence decisions, drive public perception and affect business in ways no one could ever imagine possible — a faster global reach that traditional media can no longer match.

A good example is American insurance company Progressive Advanced Insurance that got “crucified” for refusing to pay a $75,000 claim filed by the family of a policyholder who died in a car crash. A blog account by Matt Fisher, the victim’s brother, titled “My sister paid Progressive Insurance to defend her killer in court” detailed how the company refused to honor the policy by trying to pin the blame on the victim and even helping the defendant (the other driver) during the trial. “At the trial, the guy who killed my sister was defended by Progressive’s legal team. If you are insured by Progressive, and they owe you money, they will defend your killer in court in order to not pay you your policy,” the blogger said, imploring readers not to buy insurance from the company.

The post quickly went viral and the online chatter so overwhelming with policyholders threatening to drop Progressive that the company was forced to issue a public statement saying their lawyers did not represent the defendant — which aggravated their problem because the company actually collaborated with the other driver to deny the claim of the Fishers.

In the Philippines, many Filipinos vividly remember the sex video scandal involving Hayden Kho and some of his partners that ultimately destroyed his medical career, and tarnished the reputation of then-budding actress Maricar Reyes and starlet Katrina Halili.

The Philippines — dubbed as the social networking capital of Asia — is 8th in the list of countries with the biggest number of Facebook users (over 29 million), and the 10th biggest user of Twitter with 9.5 million registered “tweeters.” A recent report by an audience profiling solutions provider also disclosed that over 844 million videos on YouTube were watched by Filipinos in January alone. 

The new media is here and to be “forewarned is forearmed.” What happened to Carabuena should be a reminder to all of us that we should always be conscious of our public behavior because, as that familiar TV show would say, “Smile! You’re on Candid Camera!”

* * *

E-mail: [email protected]