1984 Redux: “Creepy” Social Media Surveillance

Big Brother is watching. Not 1984′s Ministry of Truth, but businesses that monitor social media for criticism of their product or service, then intervene via SM to “help” a customer.  What these companies dub proactive care I call intrusion.  If proactive, they’d have solved the problem before barging in.

CRM vendors now offer “cloud monitoring” services that enable customer service agents to follow discussions on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.  When they spot an unhappy customer, they can enter the social media conversation to offer help, a credit, a freebie — or direct the customer to the company’s own SM vehicles where the chat will be more “contained.”

Cable TV companies are big on cloud monitoring, and some customers like this outreach, according to a recent Business Week story. Others found it “creepy” when a customer rep surfaced on their Twitter home page.  So do I. Reason: Cloud monitoring is more about controlling than helping.

When John Doe’s TV set goes blank during the big game, he’s usually online or on the phone with customer service in a heartbeat, and the repairman’s on the way.  By the time John goes on Twitter or Facebook, he’s merely indulging his God-given American right to bitch.  The “watchful” agent’s followup via the same SM vehicle can’t fix John’s TV.  Its sole purpose is to prevent a complaint from going viral.  That’s not customer care — it’s just an intrusive business trying to save its butt. I suspect that even customers who “approve” social media monitoring do so after reaching a compromise with themselves: They’ll take whatever benefit being spied upon yields, but at heart they distrust it.

Here in the States, the National Security Agency (NSA) monitors phone conversations to ferret out and prevent terrorist plots.  Similarly, in the U.K., public video surveillance extending from the busiest London “tube” to the most remote country road tracks suspicious activities to safeguard the public.  If a government agency’s oversight of my life saves me one day, I’ll be grateful and may grudgingly admire them.  That doesn’t mean I like what they do.

When a company agent appears “out of the blue” to help — or turn the tone of a social media conversation — customers understand whose public good is at stake.  Businesses should take care how far they exercise their power to monitor and control what customers say.  “Free speech” and “control” don’t mix.

Big Brother, watch out.  Your little bro’ and sis’ are watching right back.

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