Chantelle Houghton may have cashed in with her 'sex dungeon' Twitter rant against Alex Reid - but as Metro discovered, a lot can go wrong in 140 characters for those who aren't discreet on the site.
Chantelle Houghton took to Twitter to reveal some startling facts about her relationship with Alex Reid (Picture: Rex Features)
Even by the usual standards of Twitter meltdowns, reality star Chantelle Houghton's tweet last week stating: 'When I was eight-months pregnant, Alex turned my house into a sex dungeon and I slept on my flat floor for days,' was a show-stopper.
Over the course of a couple of hours, she alleged her ex-fiancé, fellow reality star Alex Reid, had also been having sex with prostitutes and was trying to make off with her cash. Her followers went up by thousands as people tuned in for more revelations.
The Celebrity Big Brother winner has made a living from selling details of her private life to magazines, so this tirade proved a break from her usual routine. The fact a subsequent newspaper interview with her hasn't attracted the same interest suggests people may prefer to follow an emotional breakdown as it happens.
Days later, broadcaster Danny Baker tweeted his BBC London show was getting the axe and called BBC managers 'pinheaded weasels'.
Danny Baker launched into a Twitter rant against his BBC bosses (Picture: PA)
Unburdening their thoughts paid off – Houghton got a newspaper deal; Baker's reportedly getting a new show. But it doesn't always work out so well.
Last year, Ashton Kutcher, the first celebrity tweeter to get a million followers, handed his account over to be run by a media agency after tweeting his support of a sacked US university football coach. 'No class,' tweeted Kutcher before realising the coach was dismissed due to his role in a child sex abuse scandal.
In June, former teen star Amanda Bynes invited speculation over the state of her mental health when she tweeted Barack Obama asking him to sort out a traffic offence. She wrote: 'Please fire the cop who arrested me. I also don't hit and run.'
'We've all written a tweet then hovered over the send button,' says Rob Hinchcliffe of digital agency TH_NK, who advises organisations about social media. 'The problems start when you don't hover long enough.'
He says examples such as these can work in the celebrity tweeter's favour. 'Rants have become so normal, the response can be: "Why are you bothered? I'm just being real,"' says Hinchcliffe. This is why officially managed celebrity accounts lack the appeal of celebs tweeting themselves.
'They lack emotional attachment and the potential for slip ups – which is what people want,' he says.
While celebs seem to get away with it, not engaging a filter can have repercussions for the rest of us. People have been arrested for sending abusive tweets. And even when tweeters aren't doing anything wrong, over-sharing information can have its pitfalls.
Pleaserobme.com was set up to warn people about the dangers of announcing their holiday plans to the world, therefore highlighting that their house would be empty. And Weknowwhatyouredoing.com looks for people saying 'I hate my boss', they're hungover or are taking drugs.
'Those sites show that the information you share doesn't just go to your friends,' says Hinchcliffe. 'It's just data sitting on a server. It can then be used in other contexts. Danny Baker's a broadcaster, he's used to putting his opinions out there and dealing with the fallout, whereas the man in the street might not be.'
Psychologist Aric Sigman is concerned where Houghton-style outbursts may be leading society. 'No doubt reading the tweets of someone who is "letting it all hang out" can be entertaining,' he says. 'But does it erode the profundity of what they're saying? There is compassion fatigue and shock fatigue when so many extreme and intimate things are coming from so many people. It erodes the value of the things we hear about. It doesn't seem that extreme anymore.'
Ashton Kutcher handed over management of his Twitter account after an online gaffe (Picture: Reuters)
The more we may read about these types of 'meltdowns', the more disinhibited we may become about getting things off our own chests. Sigman thinks this might not be a good thing.
'It feeds the idea that every thought or burp you have is of significance and needs to be reported,' he says. 'If you're constantly reporting where you've eaten, where you've shopped and where you've been, you're saying: "Look at me, look at me." We've become a less empathetic culture and less compassionate world – and the constant objectifying and reporting of your everyday behaviour keeps you focused on you all the time.'
Hinchcliffe advises people to set their own boundaries when it comes to what they want to share on social media sites. 'Don't try to make a big splash on your first day,' he says. 'Don't tweet while drunk or when you're having an emotional moment. Instead, think: "Would I shout this out in the middle of a crowded pub?"'
Now Houghton is back to tweeting about a hair extension promotion she's doing. Order has been restored. There's nothing to see, move along…
Top Five Celebrity Twitter Meltdowns
Lindsay Lohan famously argued with her ex Samantha Ronson on Twitter (Picture: AP)
Lindsay Lohan vs Sam Ronson In April, the pair argued with each other about their relationship breakdown – from separate hotel rooms next door to each other. 'I was right all along. Cheat,' began the tirade from Lindsay Lohan
Perez Hilton vs Will.I.Am Perez Hilton claimed he'd been attacked by Will.I.Am outside a Toronto nightclub in June – so the Black Eyed Peas star opened a Twitter account minutes later to deny the allegations. 'Instead of calling the police, you twitted that I assaulted you,' the singer said. 'Sounds like somebody wants mad attention and is not really concerned about his health'.
Lee Ryan vs Samantha Miller Much-derided Blue singer Lee Ryan took to Twitter just a few weeks ago to launch an attack on on-off girlfriend Samantha Miller, accusing her of selling a story about him. 'No I've had enough of it!!!!! I'm only a person!!!' he raged against Miller, who he met after she posted sexy photos of herself on his Myspace page. 'I've had enough. Loved ones selling stories!!! Takes the p***!!! Press takes the p***.'
Ashley Cole vs The FA Ashley Cole was fined £90,000 by the Football Association after branding them a #bunchoft***s. The Chelsea and England star did delete the offending remarks but it's likely to have cost him the chance of captaining his country when he reaches 100 caps on his next appearance.
Calvin Harris vs album reviewers The Scottish DJ has had spats with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rita Ora but it was the negative reviews to his 2009 album, Ready For The Weekend, that prompted him to post 14 angry tweets in two hours. This included, in capitals: 'THIS ENTIRE INDUSTRY IS FULL OF RICH PEOPLE'S KIDS, EVERYWHERE, F***ING RICH PEOPLE'S KIDS RICH PEOPLE'S KIDS.'
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