There’s been a bit of a hoo-hah around the comments of Leo Laporte on social media.  The influential tech podcaster has said he’s given up on the platform, especially Google Buzz.  Laporte was angry because a glitch with Buzz meant his posts after 6 August weren’t seen by anyone – so he’s not doing social media anymore: “It makes me feel like everything I’ve posted over the past four years on Twitter, Jaiku, Friendfeed, Plurk, Pownce, and, yes, Google Buzz, has been an immense waste of time,” (The Next Web 22/8).  A few commentators have come out in support.

However, Martin Bryant on TNW (22/8) wondered whether the announcement was a bit of a PR stunt because millions were happily engaged with social media.  Bryant thought Laporte’s exile wouldn’t last long because: ‘He simply can’t maintain credibility if he isn’t active on at least some social media platforms – how will he know what he’s talking about if he doesn’t take part’?

The blogger quoted one Twitter user who suggested Laporte was using Buzz and Twitter: “Like a megaphone w/o earphones. If u only broadcast & don’t engage w/your followers they stop listening.”  But, the podcaster replied: “I engage plenty. In fact, that’s why I prefer(red) Buzz. Twitter was never designed for conversation.”  It could have been Laporte’s simply couldn’t keep up with the high volumes of comment he got, according to Bryant.

Brad McCarty picked up the discussion on TNW (23/8) with a focus on the importance of social media engagement and suggested: ‘If your users aren’t engaged (and make no mistake that some people simply don’t want to be engaged) then it will be a megaphone. If they are, then it will be a roundtable’.

There are no hard and fast rules in engagement and the debate will roll on.  But from a brand’s viewpoint, one thing is certain, the platform is a vital part of the media ecosystem for managing its digital footprint and reputation.