Hands up who loves ‘governmental social media cock-up’ stories?
Here in Australia, we have more than our fair share of them – Mike Baird‘s socmed team tweeting out a draft of his #PrayForBrussels tweet, that time Cory Bernardi accidentally quoted a neo-Nazi pedophile and deleted his entire timeline in shame – but today’s story comes from our accident-prone pals over in the United States of America.
More specifically, it comes from the State Department‘s official travel Twitter handle, who’ve been tweeting our advice / warnings to college students about to spend a week on Spring Break inhaling keg beer and bad decisions.
Some of them are solid:
Spring break travelers – Wouldnt think about doing it in the US? Then dont do it when you are in another country #springbreakingbadly
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) March 17, 2016
Some of them contain good advice but are perhaps not worded effectively for their target audience:
Somebody offered you a free trip abroad, but the free luggage they offered is lined with cocaine. Beware of these scams #springbreakingbadly
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) March 29, 2016
And some of them are just out to tell American teens aged 17–22 that most of them are fuckin’ uggos.
The internet’s responses were as swift as they were merciless:
State Dept: You’re ugly and nobody likes you. Trust no one. #springbreakingbadly
— Christopher Coleman (@ccineastnash) March 30, 2016
Are you hot enough to work at the state department? We’re hiring! #springbreakingbadly
— Not The State Dept (@StateDeptTravel) March 30, 2016
@TimHerrera @TravelGov since when does the State Department neg its own citizens?
— caitlin cruz (@caitlinrcruz) March 30, 2016
The nation-wide mocking wasn’t resigned to just the one tweet, however – it also had a go at that one about not accepting free trips in case they came with free blow.
Let he who has never been duped by a suitcase full of cocaine cast the first stone. #springbreakingbadly
— Kelsey L. Hayes (@kelseylh) March 30, 2016
You break your leg abroad, but the cast that the shady doctor put on you is made of cocaine. #springbreakingbadly https://t.co/KgYGvJMd65
— Anton Strezhnev (@a_strezh) March 30, 2016
Within hours a parody Twitter account was set up, and quite frankly, they’re doing the lord’s work.
if you are a “hard 5/soft 6” please email the State Department before you travel
— Travel Gov (@Travel_Gov) March 30, 2016
if you’re not a “10” in the United States consider whether travel is really going to fill the void inside you
— Travel Gov (@Travel_Gov) March 30, 2016
if you are an “X” in the United States you will be a 10 if your destination is Ancient Rome
— Travel Gov (@Travel_Gov) March 30, 2016
Sadly, In the typical way these stories always end, the original tweet has already been deleted and an apology issues. C’est la vie.
Some have been offended by our earlier tweet and we apologize that it came off negatively 1/2
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) March 30, 2016
We see many Americans fall victim to scams each year & want all to be careful while traveling 2/2
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) March 30, 2016
Source: U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Photo: Student City.
