Islamic center trying new Twitter strategy
The organizers behind Park51 never expected such strong opposition to building an Islamic community center and mosque two blocks from Ground Zero. The New York Times recently noted the group’s “early missteps” in presenting a clear message of what the project’s backers planned for the space.
Social media consultant Oz Sultan is now hoping to influence public perceptions of the project through Park51’s Twitter account. The change comes after a series of irreverent tweets this week that resulted in one intern getting replaced.
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Sultan acknowledges that he miscalculated in thinking they could make snarky jokes over Twitter at a time when there were so many unanswered questions about the project. However, those days appear to be over, and the public relations apparatus is adopting a more serious tone. Yesterday, Park51’s Twitter feed stated it will be “focusing on engagement around questions on the project.”
Sultan is a veteran of New York’s tech scene, where early adopters of Twitter probably would have gotten the jokes and asides.
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