London 2012 Lives Up To 'Social Games' Title, In Unwelcome Ways

The London 2012 Games have been touted as the first Olympics to live fully in the age of social media. After all, the organization's Twitter feed has nearly 1.4 million followers, as it lists on its special portal for Facebook and other social sites. But a rash of scandals and news related to Twitter has put a new mark on the face of these games. And, as they say, it ain't pretty.

First came news that athletes were being sent home for posting racist tweets. Now NBC, Twitter, and British newspaper The Independent are in a row over a journalist's Twitter feed, which was disabled after he posted remarks criticizing NBC and its leadership. In London, Twitter has emerged as a platform for Olympians who see deep economic inequities in the current system. The group, which includes many Americans, are also frustrated that current policies forbid them from promoting the sponsors that helped them train for the Summer Games.