whaddya mean, "retweet robot"? - Ted Bradford II

They DM me and ask me to retweet their crap all the time, but never talk to me like a human. - Chris Brogan

Wouldn't un-following them be a more cool-headed response? that way they can't DM you anymore, right? - Chris Heath

ah. yeah, a bit rude isn't it? The audacity of the request are amazing sometimes. So look, if you snapped on someone for it... well, they ought to have the social wherewith all to know that's rude. One wouldn't walk up to you at a dinner party with the same request. - Ted Bradford II

It's a sickness that's spreading throughout Twitter - Bwana ☠

maybe this is the controversy that Allen Stern is looking for this weekend? http://friendfeed.com/allenst... I can see the headlines now... "Brogan blows up over DM RT request - Play him off keyboard cat!" - Chris Heath

It's rarely the big guys (well, Gary V, but he's special). It's always the folks who see me as a number and not a dude. - Chris Brogan

you should open another account called, "retweet robot' for fun, and DM people to ask post their request there instead - zach

My sympathies, though in a sense it is a good problem to have. Your tweets have significant value, which others recognize (and try to take advantage of). - DGentry

Those kinds of requests mostly come from PR people, right? - jjprojects

I don't retweet at all on principle. I love it when others do, though. I can see how this would become a problem. BTW, Chris -- I see you as a dude, not a number. - Louis Gray

ack, sorry. i know i did this to you once. :( - although at least i did it in person and treated you like a human? - Call me Bronco

Chris, unfollow them. Two people do that: people that are trying to game your reach and true friends who really need the help. Be more than happy to help a friend out and be more than happy to help the other "friend" out- right out the door. - Damien Basile

...damn, i'd re-tweet, and re-friendfeed this, but I don't want to jacked up for doing it. @ChrisBrogan: perhaps, all the retweeters who are hitting you up feel like, with your help, they're standing on the shoulders of a social media giant. perhaps it's really a sign of respect. - .LAG liked that

hah - two names immediately came to mind - interesting that one gets special treatment :) - Allen Stern

you probably follow too many people. I understand you want to let people DM you, but it isn't realistic you're actually following them. Kinda robotic actually. Normal following counts would solve this problem for you, I bet. - Ivan Kirigin

Chris you are an awesome dude, this must be very frustrating for you. This (2010 Web / Real Time Web) is new territory and people have new principles, values, and morals to learn / adopt. You are a magnet, you create great value, you have uncommon authority people covert that. Some of them who haven't yet considered and adopted sound 2010 Web principles, values, and morals may behave ways that are offensive. Gee my intent is quite pure but I have done things on reflection I wouldn't do again. Just my thoughts. Dean - Deano @ Byron New Media

I'm so thankful I've never done that to you! I really wish Twitter would fix the DM problem - maybe give us a choice whether to accept DMs or not. - Jannifer @wordsforliving

Interesting point! @iKirigin @Ed_Dale is adamant about having a minimal follow list while other guru's advise actively following people talking in your market. In this instance I can understand Ed's point. It's a tricky choice for those still building the critical mass of their tribe. @wordsforliving (Jannifer) that could be a solution, genuine DM is really handy at times even from really new followers. It sure prevents the talking loud on a cell phone in a public place syndrome brought on by a private conversation conducted with @replies. Dean - Deano @ Byron New Media

Temper, temper, temper!!! :-) - Just2Stressed

Don't Blame you at all for being sick of it, or snapping on someone for it. It's all too common for people to do this though. One way that I've seen some people deal with it: every so often solicit things to retweet, and make it clear then to please not ask you to do this - you do it when you're feeling like it. Then hopefully only people who have some kind of news that urgently needs to be spread (i.e. twitter worm, FB worm, etc) call on you other times. - guruvan (Rob Nelson)

Anyone who directly solicits others to retweet what they write probably doesn't really mean very much of it anyway. - Randy Holloway

I can relate. :/ - Mark Davidson from BuddyFeed

What Louis said :) - Micah Wittman

does this happen because it's automated (i.e. Twitter allows someone to build a script for DM'ing people)? Also, if you don't follow that person, they can't DM you, right? - Vincent van Wylick

Chris, I understand. This kind of behavior is an etiquette breach in real life and online. The standard quid pro quo isn't inherent in the situation. You RT, but what do you get in return? In real life, you would be compensated or some other value-added service would be given to you. Scammers on Twitter want everything for free. They may value your reach but they disrespect you. I've had this happen only a few times so far but the requests are increasing. I suppose we all have to institute a policy, e.g., no promotional RT's, with exceptions only for emergencies or knowledge-sharing. Perhaps send a standard cut&pasted @ reply to all requestors (discourages further DM's). These are just suggestions. - Christine Cavalier

Thing is, I love retweeting good information that is helpful to my community and I support many causes that can benefit from my network. Where I get pissy is when people ONLY hit me in DM when they need me to retweet. - Chris Brogan

Ahh the old human trait, selfishness. Reminds me of a few of my 'friends' only talk when they want something. - Mo Kargas

You could always just say "I'll retweet stuff I like so do NOT ask me for a Retweet." - Scott Wilder

The worst are those people who are sending mass-DMs and asking for Re-Tweets. That is major fail. - Curt Mercadante

Chris, right. I get mostly offended when it is a person I don't know at all. This is what is happening now with me: These spammy requestors get wise to my random RT policies, so they start to @ me and "engage" me in chitchat before they ask for another DM. By this point, their motivations are obvious. Without a solid policy, I have no way of avoiding this fake "buttering up." I'm sure you have that happen too. The fact is that some people will be pissed off. Having a policy lowers the numbers, even if the policy is "I don't RT requests. I RT what I like. Asking for a RT guarantees you won't get one." You can personally DM friends to tell them this policy doesn't apply to them. - Christine Cavalier

And thanks for bringing this up. The etiquette issue is good fodder for my blog. - Christine Cavalier

Louis, a Dude is a male horse :-P - Jesse Stay

I have a few people that do that. Funny thing is I know some of them in real life, but on Twitter, that's the only time I ever hear from them. It makes me think a lot less of them in real life. - Jesse Stay

What's equally funny is that people get very upset when I call them on it. If I say, "it feels like you only talk to me when you need something," they get all defensive and "well, excuse me, mister popular!" . But that's because people only see with their own lens. If they have 1000 followers, it's manageable. It's not as scalable. - Chris Brogan

But you are paid to do this, right? Why wouldn't people start treating you like that? - Thom Kennon

Excellent :-), You should snap at them. The re-tweet is stupid. If it's interesting you'll discuss the ideas with them. - Richard A.

I can't imagine asking someone to retweet something I'd posted. It's so... rude. - Steve Ellwood

I guess it's hard for me to believe someone would dm you and ask for such a thing. wow - Keith - @tsudo

@Thom - paid to do what? Use Twitter? Um, no. That'd be a gig! - Chris Brogan

@Thom, people are certainly not offering payment for retweets. That's why asking for the favor is so rude. Most people don't ask strangers for big favors like that. - Christine Cavalier

I know what you mean. - Wayne Sutton

Wasn't Mike Arrington suggesting that RTs = Currency, and people will start paying for them? If they're going to be so rude as to constantly ask just because people have lots of followers, shouldn't they offer to pony up some $$$ ?? - guruvan (Rob Nelson)

Which bothers you more: receiving a DM to RT or being asked to RT regardless of DM? Sounds like it's the DM that bothers you. - Ari Herzog

Talking about pay per blog posts e.g. Izea, and yes, in some cases, I reckon Tweets feed this and become amplifiers of that model. - Thom Kennon

(I know you're asking Chris, but personally I don't like the being asked to RT so much - I don't mind when a person really needs a favor - it's the matter of someone asking me to RT something simply because of the number of followers - I can only imagine how much Chris must get) - guruvan (Rob Nelson)

@Thom - I don't get paid to tweet, but if you want to start, I'm in. I'm on the Advisory board of Izea, but it's not my full time job or something. I'm on about 6 advisory boards and none of them pay unless those guys get bought. Then? I get a pony. : ) - Chris Brogan

@AriHerzog is right. I loathe the DM aspect more than not. - Chris Brogan

tell em chris, im ignoring about 1-2 dms a day now asking for a retweet. if you have to ask, i probably dont think its worth a RT ;) - sean percival

? Klaatu Barada Nikto!! ;O) - Harold Cabezas

having no following and no clout rocks. So say I. - Aron Michalski