In this presentation, Shanna Kurpe evaluates how social media has impacted the 2012 Olympic Games. This year's games have been termed the "Social Media Olympics" because of the impact social networking websites have had on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), athletes, spectators, business productivity and news coverage.

1. Social Media & The Olympics
Presented by Shanna Kurpe

2. London 2012
a.k.a. the
“Social Media Olympics”
“Social Media Olympics”
“Social Media Olympics”

3. Over 10 Million Mentions
of Olympics on Twitter

4. Loss of $650 Million for US Business as
Workers Stream Coverage at Work
*According to a study conducted by the Captivate Network.
*According to a study conducted by the Captivate Network.
*According to a study conducted by the Captivate Network.
*According to a study conducted by the Captivate Network.
*According to a study conducted by the Captivate Network.
*According to a study conducted by the Captivate Network.

5. Today’s Agenda
How has Social Media Usage Impacted the 2012 Olympics?
International Olympic Committee
US Olympic News Coverage
Athletic Participation

6. How is Social Media Impacting the
International Olympic Committee?

7. Social Media Guidelines
For athletes & attendees
Use only if “urgent”
Must update in first-person, diary format
No real-time posts about game results or
other participants
No videos from Olympic Village
Photos and videos cannot be sold
No use of Olympic rings on any post
No use of the word “Olympic” in
association with any other 3rd party, such
as a sponsor
All posts must be in Olympic spirit, and
not contain vulgar or offensive content

8. Protests
Rule #40 - Bans athletes
from mentioning sponsors
on social media during
Olympic Games July 18-
August 15, 2012
"I am honored to be an
Olympian, but
#WeDemandChange2012
#Rule40 @NBCOlympics"

9. Technical Difficulties
Complaints of Network Issues
Spotty BBC coverage
Difficulties transmitting
information
Difficulty measuring
distance between cyclists

10. How is Social Media Impacting
US News Coverage?

11. Olympic News Coverage
NBC Social Media
Real-time Tweets
Real-time Status Updates
Live Streaming

12. Criticism of NBC Coverage
Poor Coverage of Opening
Ceremonies
@repetenz says NBC on cutting 7/7
tribute from Olympic opening
ceremony "We tailor our coverage 4
US audience". What...Ignorant?
#NBCfail
@camulus says Watching the
opening ceremonies. Commentators
need to keep quiet especially during
the musical portion. #nbcfail

13. Criticism of NBC Coverage
Lack of Live Coverage
@change says Some #Olympics fans
are frustrated with @NBCOlympics
decision not to air competitions live.
Susan's petition:
http://chn.ge/OBHtmg #NBCfail
@DrewG7 says The people have
spoken. #NBCFail RT @DylanByers:
Gallup: 85% of Americans wants
Olympics coverage broadcast live:
bit.ly/TJMRO7

14. Criticism of NBC Coverage
Lack of Coverage in General
@BCSGuru says This just in, U.S.
and North Korea are only countries
where the 100-meter race wasn't
shown live on TV. #nbcfail
@LesRosbifs says Nearly $1bn
spent on acquiring the rights,
nearly 3000 staff in London, yet
NBC still don't show the blue
riband 100m live. #NBCfail

15. Spoiler Alert
Social Media Activity + Lack of Live Coverage = Spoilers
Michael Phelps Sets Record for Most US Women’s Gymnastics Team Wins
Gold Medals Won Gold Medals

16. How is Social Media Impacting
Athletic Participation?

17. All-Access for Fans
Kevin Love shares “got
‘em” photos of US Men’s
Basketball team members
sleeping

18. Sideline Distractions
Emily Seebohm admits Twitter is a
distraction
#GoldGoldGoldforCBomb
“When people tell you a thousand
times that you are going to get it,
somewhere in your mind you think:
'I've done it', but I hadn't done it.
That was where I obviously will take
a big learning curve and obviously I
need to sign out of Twitter and log
out of Facebook a lot sooner than I
did.”

19. Suspensions
Greek triple jumper banned
from games over tweet
@papaxristoutj said "With
so many Africans in Greece,
the mosquitoes from the
West Nile will at least be
eating some homemade
food."

20. Suspensions
Swiss soccer player kicked
off Olympic Team
@morgastoss called South
Koreans “bunch of
mongoloids” and said they
“can go burn”

21. Photo Credits
Gallup. Americans’ Preference for Olympics Coverage, by Viewership. Gallup Economy. Web. 9 August 2012.
Government Olympic Communications. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Olympic Torch Michael Johnson at
Stonehenge. Flickr. Web. 12 July 2012.
Government Olympic Communications. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Giant Olympic Rings on Tower Bridge,
London. Flickr. Web. 27 July 2012.
Government Olympic Communications. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Olympic Stadium. Flickr. Web. 23 July
2012.
Government Olympic Communications. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Women’s Road Race. Flickr. Web. 23 July
2012.
Government Olympic Communications. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Michael Phelps awarded gold in the
London 2012 Aquatic Centre. Flickr. Web. 2 August 2012.
Harper, Dawn. Protest Rule #40. Twitter. Web. 28 July 2012.
Jacobs, David. The Real-Time Internet vs. The Old School Olympics. Connected World Media. Web. 3 August 2012.
Swamibu. 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games medals. Flickr. Web. 14 September 2011.