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11 Nov 2012

Did UK’s Twitter users remember the two minute silence?

As the UK commemorates its war dead on Remembrance Sunday with a two-minute silence, Channel 4 News looks at those who observed it on Twitter – and those who did not.

As people up and down the country stopped what they were doing to commeorate those who gave their lives for their country, the idea was mirrored on social media sites.

Thousands of people also respected the two minute silence on Twitter, abstaining from posting messages during the period of reflection.

The idea was spread using the hashtag #2minutesilence.

Prime Minister David Cameron, a relatively new convert to Twitter, used the same hashtag to promote the idea.

However, some organisations and companies sent tweets out at 11am, to the disgust of other Twitter users.

BBC Top Gear sent out its weekly message about its most-watched video at 11am – which even saw presenter Jeremy Clarkson complain, labelling the message ‘”astonishingly stupid”.

Top Gear later apologised for the tweet, saying: “We profusely apologise for the automated tweet that coincided with this morning’s silence to honour our Armed Forces.”

Others that tweeted during the two-minute silence were Channel 4’s @C4insider account, the @Butlins Twitter account and the @BBCPolitics account.

Channel 4 tweeted an apology for breaking the silence, which said: “Like others we sometimes send automated tweets. We’d like to say sorry for one which was sent during the Remembrance silence today at 11am.”

Butlins also tweeted an apology, saying: “We’re really sorry about the timing of our last tweet. No offence was intended.”

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