There are unintended consequences in many communications we make – especially if we don’t carefully evaluate how else the post one makes would be interpreted.
This problem has affected many high-standing persons in society who manage their own communications – especially via social media.
By the time VIPs master how social media operates and accept that in today’s world, a tweet should be thoroughly evaluated just as press releases – it will be after many have burnt their fingers.
On the weekend – you can say – one ‘mad person’ leaked a document detailing a series of ‘corruption scandals’ they attribute to the person of Deputy Speaker of Parliament , Anita Among.
Thank God, Ms Among herself ignored the report. So should have, her friends and fans.
However, several of her alleged friends came out boldly on their pages to do what they thought was defending the Deputy Speaker from ‘unfair’ allegations, including taking bribes from businessmen and companies as well as land grabbing.
What they, however, forgot is that they had made the unofficial document, OFFICIAL.
This meant that the said allegations had been given a home to sit.
Prior to official tweets, everything was baseless – just stupid. In the first place, there was nothing that said the report had anything to do with security services – or even being a subject of study by the President as alleged.
By evening, as several high-profile people commented and defended the Deputy Speaker record – they created an appetite for curious minds to find out what was said about Ms Anita Among.
For whatever purposes, it is these official tweets that put the person of Deputy Speaker, Anita Among into trouble as reasonable people started paying attention to documents.
This is what we call unintended consequences.
When on Sunday evening, I started seeing tweets and Facebook posts allegedly defending Deputy Speaker Anita Among against claims that she is using her position for selfish acquisition of wealth, I made some calls.
“What is the matter with the Deputy Speaker?” I probed. “I don’t know.” Everyone seemed to say, admitting they had only seen posts of her defenders!
As different big wigs including the government chief whip, Thomas Tayebwa tweeted about the allegations of corruption, it just helped to pour fuel on the little fire which has now become a disaster.
Mr Tayebwa tweeted; “It’s easy to destroy others but difficult to build our own names. The Deputy Speaker of Parliament is No. 5 in the hierarchy of Govt & must be treated with respect. I’ve known Rt. Hon @AnitahAmong since 2004 & what is being peddled against her is trash. I stand with U Rt. Hon”
Buvuma Islands MP, Migadde Robert Ndugwa wrote; ”Grabbing Karim house; if there was an agreement to buy at USD 2.7m and a down payment of USD 300k was, does failure to pay tantamount to grabbing. Is Karim the kind of person who needs assistance to access courts of law?”
If these big names meant well – tweeting about unofficial reports was in error. They fell into the trap of the ‘accusers’ – who had failed to get a home to publish these allegations.
In these official twitter and Facebook pages – Anita Among suffered several blows on her reputation – which had not registered with a ‘to whom it may concern’ forward.
Unless the very people who were alleged to defend Ms Among actually were intentionally attacking her reputation. It is reverse psychology.
Verywellmind.com describes ‘reverse psychology’ as “a tactic that involves advocating for a behavior that is different than the desired outcome. … While it can be seen as a way of managing another person’s behavior, it can also be used as a form of manipulation.”
It is highly possible that if the allegations against the Deputy Speaker were #fakenews – but then, the big names or rather, friends of Anita gave them credence and a platform to thrive.
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