While the careers of Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, and Lindsay Lohan only got better after their scandalous pictures and movies leaks, it doesn’t work the same way for a politician.
That is a lesson that Canadian Ray Lam, a B.C. New Democratic Party candidate, learned the hard way. Racy Facebook photos of Lam taken at a Pride celebration four years ago forced the young gay politician to resign.
"An issue was made regarding inappropriate material on my private Facebook page. I regret this material and the associated comments that have now become public," Ray Lam said in a prepared statement Sunday. "I do not want this to be a distraction in the election campaign and have advised the party that I am stepping down."
The pictures in question include one of Lam with his hand cupping the breast of a clothed woman. Another photo showed him with his pants around his knees while another man and woman playfully and suggestively tugged at his underwear.
Political Career Killers 2.0
Canadian Politician Resigns Over Facebook Pictures
Trend Themes
1. Online Reputation Management - Online reputation management companies will likely capitalize on the fear of job loss due to inappropriate public online activity.
2. Social Media Policing - Social media monitoring and regulating software may see increased use by political campaigns and parties to monitor and control the image projection of their candidates.
3. Social Media Transparency - Individuals and businesses may begin to take a more transparent approach to their public online presence, encouraging more regulated and responsible use of social media.
Industry Implications
1. Online Reputation Management Services - Online reputation management services and tools may be in higher demand, as individuals and companies seek to mitigate the fallout from inappropriate online behavior.
2. Social Media Monitoring Software - Social media monitoring software developers could see a boon in business as political campaigns and parties may turn to these technologies to avoid public relations disasters.
3. Social Media Consulting Services - Social media consulting services may arise to help individuals and businesses maintain appropriate public online profiles, either pre-emptively or in response to negative publicity.