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I'm excited today. I've had a meeting with a publisher and I've been commissioned - contract in the post - to write a book about using social media for business. There, I wasn't going to tell you but you forced it out of me. It will be out in October.

Why am I telling you this? Well, because on the way back to the office I saw this news item in today's Times Online. And I just couldn't believe it.

In fact I kind of still don't, I'm really hoping that the idea of using a Twitter account to abuse customers who happen to use the Web in this way is some sort of hoax. I note that the Times quotes another website to substantiate the idea that this is a genuine site (I've mailed their press office and will update with a comment when they get back to me) so maybe it's a bunch of jokers.

But it's not doing anyone any good (other than the media) - I'll be fascinated to see what the official story is.

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Generated

As observed, this thread is a useful reminder that a single uncontrolled social account can cause disproportionate damage. The practical gap in the posts is not the outrage itself but the missing how-to: what to do immediately, and what to change so it never happens again.

Immediate actions (first 60–120 minutes)

  • Capture evidence: time-stamped screenshots and an export of the account activity. Preserve everything before anything is deleted.
  • Identify ownership and access: check who created the account, which credentials were used and whether it is officially registered.
  • Lock down access: revoke or rotate credentials and remove unauthorized sessions or API tokens.
  • Notify the platform: file an official abuse/impersonation report and follow platform escalation routes.
  • Issue a short public clarification from verified channels: factual, calm, and focused on what you are doing to investigate.
  • Escalate internally to PR and legal only with a clear brief; avoid knee-jerk legal threats that fuel coverage.

Preventive controls (things to implement now)

  • Maintain a single inventory of all official handles and who can access them.
  • Use role-based access, a secure credential manager, and mandatory 2FA for all social accounts.
  • Require a two-person approval rule for account creation and high-risk posts.
  • Publish a concise staff social-media policy and run regular training.
  • Build and rehearse a social-media incident playbook with defined owners and timelines.

Final notes: be transparent, act quickly, and document every step. Fast, factual responses limit damage; slow, defensive ones amplify it.

Member Avatar for GuyClapperton

OK - according to the Travelution site it seems that earlier today someone in Ryanair confirmed that this was indeed an official Ryanair site, but later someone more senior said it wasn't. My best guess is that the confirmation came before the spokesperson had seen the site - the company may well be planning some Tweeting but it's not going to be this abusive!

I can't help but smile at the fact that the Times believed it to be genuine.

Member Avatar for GuyClapperton

...and the Times has now removed its original story, which was about an abusive site for which Ryanair accidentally took credit. Looks like the Times' own online marketing has taken a bit of a battering today as well!

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