Anatomy of a hashtag: #cashgordon
Better bigger.
In case you're interested, the topmost point on the graph (what I like to call "the cliff of hubris") references a tweet by @SamuelCoates who calls himself a "Conservative blogger, turned speechwriter, turned online campaigning guy."
The tweet at about midday reads:
Sitting back and marvelling at #CashGordon - we had an open hashtag policy, and have not changed that today, for a reason!
I read that tweet in the surroundings of the cashgordon twitter hashtag, already flanked by people saying "this is a really bad idea" and "this is going to get nasty" and I thought that the utter smug arrogance of the tweet was worth recording, because as we all know, pride comes before a #fail.
I'd like to think that those involved might have learnt something today about social media, basic web security or even tempering their own smugness, but unfortunately my penultimate point above has been proved right: the big stinking #cashgordon mess is being squarely blamed on Labour digital rabblerousers and people who want to spoil everyone's fun.
It's not their own fault, for failing to anticipate or safeguard against this entirely predictable outcome. Oh, no.
As anyone who grew up during the Thatcher years will recall, this is a familiar Tory policy: they screw up, but somehow it's your fault. I think they call it "empowerment".
For the record, I'm not a digital Labour rabblerouser. I don't like any political parties very much at the moment - I think they're pretty much all as bad as each other - but at least the others don't tend to be so bloody smarmy, smug and judgemental with their cack-handedness.
In social media, as in life, a little humility and humanity works wonders.
(previously in this vein: anatomy of a trending topic)
BTW, I'm @megpickard on Twitter.
Comments and faves
StephenCotterellPhotography, martsky, Gee Bee, cowbite, and 122 other people added this photo to their favorites.
StephenCotterellPhotography (38 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called A different point of view - for photographers, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
adycoles (38 months ago | reply)
This is truly an epic image.
LEOinDaHouse (38 months ago | reply)
Nice Work from where you get the data i would like to know
Jim Barter (38 months ago | reply)
full of #win :-) #epicwin
Thayer18 (38 months ago | reply)
Total genius :)
JamesWallis (38 months ago | reply)
One point: you're missing: between "site taken offline" and "server-level redirect to official conservative site" you've omitted "redirect URL to official conservative site, but mistype address so it 404s."
JaredEarle (38 months ago | reply)
Scripts used listed here: cash-cameron.com/
martsky (38 months ago | reply)
And 'mis-spelled 'www' in redirect. That was funny too!
Nice work...
Meg Pickard (38 months ago | reply)
James, you're quite right: duly amended.
Thiefree (38 months ago | reply)
Sigh. Look at everything I missed by sleeping in this morning. Thanks for the recap; enlightening as always!
Rev Dan Catt (38 months ago | reply)
And inspired by this, the 26min rapid decent according to the twitter API ...
fluffykittens.com/2010/03/22/we-the-media-a-q uick-timelin...
.
lomokev (38 months ago | reply)
i missed this party as well!
heytherewombat (38 months ago | reply)
I wonder if, in the name of evidence-based policy, you would be willing to submit your metrics for smugness (y-axis) to peer review.
lipsticklori (38 months ago | reply)
Brilliant :-) From the looks of this graph, I missed the best bits!
barryheadwound (38 months ago | reply)
Hope you don't mind but I've linked to this on b3ta.com - it's going down really well.
www.b3ta.com/links/Anatomy_of_a_hashtag_cashg ordon
Top work, by the way.
Meg Pickard (38 months ago | reply)
Wherethedayswent - I wish I could. Alas, it's a combination of reading the tweets of various party web faithful and sheer conjecture based on years of experience working in web production and strategy for big orgs. The timeline's accurate, though.
mikebutcher (38 months ago | reply)
Awesome.
KiBe the Walrus (38 months ago | reply)
Marvellous
Gareth Langley (38 months ago | reply)
wonderful work. i missed the news (and party) today, but managed to catch up via your graphic.
Can you do a daily catch-up service for all the news? ;-)
Meg Pickard (38 months ago | reply)
Gareth, you could always try http://www.guardian.co.uk/zeitgeist :)
Malbonster (38 months ago | reply)
Totally awesome. I hurt from laughing. Thanks
sthursfield (38 months ago | reply)
I want me one of these.
In answer to data sources, this link offers a linear version including a tracking of the explosion of interest in Meg's awesome graph too.
Jansen Mann (38 months ago | reply)
Brilliant!
smagdali (38 months ago | reply)
fantastic.
sharonodea (38 months ago | reply)
Sterling work as ever, Meg.
dil23 (38 months ago | reply)
hehe ;-)
tom clearwood (38 months ago | reply)
read about this in the Guardian. Lovely job!
muddyfunkstar [deleted] (38 months ago | reply)
This has made my day (found via fluffy kittens)
cdc_bloke (38 months ago | reply)
Ha ha! Superb!