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Lessons Learned from Social Media: Watch the ‘F’ Word (as in Facebook)

Here’s a word to the wise to all of the social media divas and divos out there — you can never be too careful when it comes to Facebook.

Here’s why: On Friday, the Montana Office of Tourism got in a bit of hot water when its status update on its official page read:  ”F this job. I just want to live in Whitefish with my future husband. Leaving Bozeman for good tomorrow. I love you with all my heart and you are not leaving me. Never. Thanks for the good times MercuryCSC!”

Well, that was technically a personal message from an employee at the tourism department’s agency, MercurySCS, and oops! It was posted to the client’s page instead with more than 150,000 likes.

The folks from Montana deleted the post and had some ‘splaining to do.

Sarah Lawlor, tourism office spokeswoman, indicated (per AdWeek), ”They usually run everything they will post through us first. It was a personal error by this person, and once they realized this error, we removed the post.”

Lawlor added, “Obviously, it wasn’t content intended for our Facebook audience.”

The agency itself released a statement as well and apparently lost its client for good: “MercuryCSC accepts responsibility for and is actively working with the Montana Office of Tourism to address the situation. MercuryCSC regrets this chain of events. We apologize to our client and the state of Montana for this issue.”

Fortunately for the employee who erroneously posted the status, she was quitting anyway but the end of the statement from MercuryCSC indicates it was a personnel matter and they were unable to make additional comments.

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