A conversation with Allan Brewster, autocorrect victim, about his phone. Conducted by Reed Immer, recorded by Reed’s iPhone 4.
Glitch credit: Robin Szypulski
RI: So you just told me an unfortunate autocorrect experience, and I stupidly forgot to press the record button…
AB: Ah, well here it goes again. Are you recording now?
RI: Yeah. Wait. Yeah definitely.
AB: I was in a group text with my boss and all of my non-profit organization’s leaders in New York City, and an election we were working on had just finished, so I texted them “Anyone have any #’s on the outcome?” But unfortunately my phone autocorrected “#’s” to “#boobyhead,” which I had jokingly texted to my roommate a week earlier. Of course I realized this autocorrect mistake immediately after I hit send, and thus inquired about boobyheads to all my boss’s bosses in New York.
Of course I realize this autocorrect mistake immediately after I hit send, and thus inquired about boobyheads to all my boss’s bosses in New York.
RI: So how did they respond?
AB: Nothing ever came of it. No one responded in the text and it was never mentioned in person.
RI: That’s even worse than someone responding and allowing you to explain the mistake.
AB: Exactly. It’s never been mentioned again.
RI: Bummer. So do you spearhead much of the social media for your organization?
AB: Me and my co-organizer go to events, protests, confrontations and we’ll live-tweet and put stuff on Instagram.
RI: Have you received positive feedback from your organization’s audience?
AB: It’s expanded our social following across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and connected us with legislators and passionate citizens, but we haven’t noticed a direct effect on contributions to the organization. But in terms of our non-profit work, any conversation that’s done in an organized fashion towards a concrete goal is beneficial, no matter where it happens.
In terms of our non-profit work, any conversation that’s done in an organized fashion towards a concrete goal is beneficial, no matter where it happens.
RI: Are you in charge of your organization’s social media presence?
AB: I’m not, everything has to be approved by our Development Director or Executive Director.
RI: Do they put the kibosh on some things you want to post?
AB: They haven’t, but largely because I make sure that everything I post strictly aligns with our campaign’s message. No silly inside jokes, no irrelevant pop culture references.
Everything I post [on my organization’s social accounts] strictly aligns with our campaign’s message. No silly inside jokes, no irrelevant pop culture references.
RI: What do you use your phone for on your job?
AB: To check email and also our social accounts. I get notifications whenever someone interacts with our social content. Instagram on my phone is currently set to my personal page, but I switch over to my organization’s account every day. Twitter is currently set to my organization’s account, and although we barely tweet I make sure we follow a bunch of journalists, electeds and other organizations to stay current with the Connecticut political scene. I frequently use the Hartford Courant app, and I visit CT News Junkie and the New Haven Independent at least 5 times a day.
I frequently use the Hartford Courant app, and I visit CT News Junkie and the New Haven Independent at least 5 times a day.
RI: Do you use a phone more than a computer?
AB: I’m not sure. I use computers for office work like sending emails, writing reports, focused research, but much of the social activity and casual news gathering is done through my phone.
AB: Social media gets branded as this panacea of social reform, like it’s the end-all for all social woes. But I see it simply as a way to start conversations that are then ideally followed up in person. It’s a tool that can be used toward an end, but it’s not the end.
Other posts in the Young Adults And Their Phones interview series: