The Scottish Sun ran a story today about a series of tweets by a prospective Parliamentary Candidate (ie wannabe MP) Stuart MacLennan and, as expected, he’s been sacked. While I can’t believe anyone is still being such an idiot in digital engagement and Twitter in 2010, this is a social media win – because it’s let people see what the guy is like. And clearly, they didn’t like a loudmouthed, swearing type of guy.

The fact that the guy swore or insulted a few people isn’t the issue: it’s the fact that he did both constantly. When you have an avenue of expression – like Twitter – and you populate it with 99% foul-mouthed attacks on people, people will take the impression from that that you are foul mouthed and regularly obnoxious. There’s still a place for sarcasm, most people are adult enough to accept that people swear, but when you do it constantly you just come across as have Tourette’s on Twitter.

But what this has done – despite David Cameron’s talk of ‘why did no-one do anything’ – has shown that people will still respond to someone being an idiot.

This isn’t 1995 anymore when people could act one way online and another in the non-digital world: the two world’s are blended together now. If you say something or act a certain way online then people will assume that is you, how you act and your beliefs. (the exception to this, in part, is the teenage-ridden areas of online gaming)

Stuart’s sin wasn’t in the odd bit of swearing or insults. It was the constant ongoing nature of it.

Stuart is probably a decent enough guy, but forgot that on Twitter the whole world can see you and see what you say (which is a basic point of web interaction) and that what you say can last forever.

The other question that has to be asked here of the Labour Party is this: don’t you do simple checks on your candidates? If it turns out you knew about these tweets and then only sacked him because it hit the mainstream press, that makes you look pretty shallow.

Why is this a social media win? Because Stuart has been tweeting away, this has given people the chance to see what he’s like (remember, people will assume these postings are reflective of him and his beliefs) and the outrage has lead to him not being a MP, so social media has given the population a chance to decide on someone as a MP.*

Free Social Media Digital PR tip: Remember, it’s the World Wide Web. The clue is in the name. And if you want to be really cautious when posting ask yourself this: would I want my boss or my mother to see this and know it came from me?

(*Yes I know it took a burst from the mainstream media to help – I never said the traditional press was dead because I don’t believe it is – but that is a mainstream paper which has no digital team in Scotland. Boy, there’s irony.)

David Cameron shouldn’t crow though and here’s some pointers for other MPs running for election who might be worried about their digital presence.