Spring tweeting: Mariners receive social media training

Seattle Mariners who connect with their fans electronically are taught what material could get them in trouble.

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Ball players are asked to think about the potential impacts of what they post on social media.

“We ask them to be smart,” Mariners spokesperson Rebecca Hale told KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross.

If a Mariner would not want a relative to see the content of a tweet or post, it’s probably best not to publish it at all. If there is already questionable content on a player’s account, they are asked to remove it, Hale said.

“Get it off of their feed now, so at some point it won’t come back to haunt them,” she said.

Players are cautioned about humor. Something they might find funny might offend others, Hale said.

Media training for Mariners top prospects began about 10 years ago. Over the past five years, an emphasis has been put on social media, Hale said.

There aren’t many surprises these days when it comes to social media, Hale said. Most players have at least some experience with it.

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But the training isn’t just about what not to do, it also covers the benefits. Players learn “how to use social media to engage with their fans and establish their brands as professional athletes,” Hale said.

“We just want them to understand the image they’re setting now is the image that will follow them around the rest of their career,” she added.