When tweeting and working are synonymous, there are a few social media lessons one must learn. Chief among them? When playing “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood,” currently the number one gaming app in the country, make sure to log out of your job’s official Twitter account.
On Monday night, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water sent a somewhat curious tweet to its 52,000-plus followers: “I’m now a C-List celebrity in Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. Come join me and become famous too by playing on iPhone!” And here we thought the EPA was at least B-list as far as government agencies go.
The accidental endorsement received thousands of retweets and replies, including two hilariously timed tweets from retiring Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), before the agency removed it from its feed a few hours later. Still the Internet couldn’t resist the joke.
I’m the last original author of the Clean Water Act, but I have no idea who/what a Kardashian is and I rarely play games. You OK, @EPAwater?
— John Dingell (@john_dingell) July 22, 2014
Staff has now informed me of what a Kardashian is. I’m only left with more questions. — John Dingell (@john_dingell) July 22, 2014
So what happened, exactly? Had the EPA been hacked by a 16-year-old starlet wannabe? Had the agency taken a break from protecting clean drinking water to climb the virtual socialite ladder? According to an EPA spokeswoman, “an EPA fellow inadvertently triggered an auto-generated tweet. She regrets the error and has been advised on the sensitivities of using social media.”
Whoops…our bad. Sorry about tweet. Upside – more attention for the Office of Water (http://t.co/GhuYcpwqwx), thanks @KimKardashian
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) July 22, 2014
Jason Enriquez, director of corporate communications at Glu Mobile, the company that developed the game, said Monday’s brief adventure in accidental tweeting was a reminder to log out of official company accounts when you punch out for the day.
“When you connect to the game it asks you if it can connect to your Twitter account,” said Enriquez, who guessed that the employee handling the EPA Water Twitter account was using a “shared device” for both work and play–literally.
“It was quick reminder for me of how easily these things can happen,” continued Enriquez, who also handles Glu’s social media accounts (and yes the company replied to the EPA’s tweet). “Always make sure what you’re tweeting.”
Keep at it @EPAwater, you’ll get there. #AList #WillowPapeIsTheWorst #KimKardashianGame
— Glu Games (@glumobile) July 22, 2014
“Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” launched on June 25. The game is a celebrity “rpg,” or role playing game, in which gamers create their own “aspiring celebrity” whose task it is to conquer a Disneyfied version of Hollywood with Kardashian-West as their glittery guru.
So far it seems the only person who hasn’t jumped in to poke fun at the EPA is Kardashian-West herself.
“It would be overwhelming for her to try and keep track of all of it,” said Enriquez.
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