Blake Dowling
Who remembers their first text? Mine is a bit hazy; it involved bands from the late 1990s. I recall worrying about exceeding my minutes and how that would add to my bill.
Texting has become integral to our society since the old Nokia phones sparked the texting revolution in the late 1990s.
Today, an estimated 23 billion texts are sent daily. We use texts for everything — from asking a co-worker to lunch to sending a grocery list to a spouse. However, for elected officials, sending inappropriate or sensitive information via text can lead to serious consequences, as seen in the Anthony Weiner sexting scandals and the Trump administration’s texting blunder. While these are some of the most notable “textastrophes,” many other instances of texting gone awry exist.
Texting is also being exploited as a threat delivery system by hackers, with fraudulent messages about unpaid tolls, free iPads, and unpaid taxes circulating widely. Misuse of texting occurs globally, ranging from innocent “oops” moments among friends to profound implications for national security.
We can label those accidental texts as “textidents,” where one mistakenly sends a message meant for someone else.
In the business realm, our consultants assist hundreds of clients with technology issues. When clients began texting our team individually, we lost the ability to track and document that flow of communication. Documentation is crucial in our field, so we instituted a TIXT service. Clients can now text a designated number regarding service requests, with all messages automatically documented in a support ticket. This ensures open lines of communication and prevents miscommunication. Although some clients hesitate to use the TIXT platform, we have implemented policies and technology to address their concerns, marking progress in the right direction.
On a personal note, I have maintained a text thread with a few college buddies for about 20 years. One group member (let’s call him Shawn Barkin) recently transitioned from a flip phone and inadvertently acquired an old number belonging to someone else. He was bombarded with Gator football discussions for weeks until he finally learned how to exit the chat.
His last several texts simply read, “MAKE IT STOP,” as it is a very active thread. If you’re unfamiliar with how to hide alerts for managing group texts, check this guide.
If your office lacks a texting policy, it’s time to add it to your to-do list. Clearly define what is appropriate and when texting is acceptable (before or after hours).
Like a social media policy, establishing ground rules for texting helps avoid confusion later. Many clients enforce policies against taking pictures at events and sharing corresponding social media posts. Similarly, having a no-texting-about-client-information policy prevents potential mis-texts. You can’t mis-text someone if you’re not texting them confidential information. I found a helpful guide online for developing a texting policy: Texting in the Workplace: Establishing a Company Policy.
You might think that deleting your sensitive texts puts you in the clear, but not so fast. Cellphone companies can retain this information for years, so it’s best to use texts for their intended purpose: brief communication bursts. For more information on data retention, see “How long do wireless carriers keep your data?”
A good example of short, effective communication occurred on Saturday morning. I was speaking at a festival about my book, Professionally Distanced, a compilation of my columns from Florida Politics and other publications. I was co-presenting with a musician named Charlie Mars. I texted him that I would see him in the green room in 90 minutes, with a 12:45 p.m. EST sound check, and that we would go on stage at 1:15 p.m. He called me back to ask whether Tallahassee was in the Eastern Time Zone, as he was on tour in the Central Time Zone.
He arrived very late, and we went on with about 10 seconds to spare.
I often send quick suggestions during meetings or share jokes via text with others in the room during Board meetings (though this does carry the risk of an “oops” moment). Sharing a grocery list with my spouse is just a click away, but with ease of use comes responsibility.
There are many opportunities for mis-texting, so it’s vital to text with care. Whether you’re a musician on tour, an elected official, or running a company, treat texting as the essential communication tool it is and implement a policy to manage its use.
