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Ethics & Social Media

Fidel K. Nguyen

The current state of social media ethics: what trends are happening in the industry? (5 pts) What are two current cases related to social media ethics? (5 pts) Outline the current code of ethics for social media by a professional organization you would be interesting in joining as part of their social media staff. (10 pts)

The legal and ethical implications of social media are constantly evolving, with new emerging forms of online communication posing more ethical challenges and complications that can make social media tricky to navigate. As social media further integrates into society, it has a stronger influence on real-world components such as politics and cultural values. This further complicates the landscape of social media, producing things like cancel culture, flame-wars, censorship, and misinformation. X, (formerly known as Twitter) is a strong example of this, showcasing the clashings of political views and issues with censorship. In 2022, Elon Musk purchased Twitter and communicated his concerns, tweeting, “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy. That’s why it’s the FIRST Amendment. Without free speech, all is lost.” Furthermore, as tech companies become larger, there seems to be a rise in concerns surrounding privacy, data collection, and unethical use of personal information. A relevant example of this is TikTok’s most recent controversy about user privacy. As mentioned by Marlene Maheu in Telehealth.org, “...The US government is concerned that this data could be misused or shared with the Chinese government without users' consent or knowledge.” This controversy resulted in the potential ban of TikTok in the USA. 

A professional organization I would be interested in joining would be Toyota, as their ethics for social media seem to be strong and consistent. They align with good values of honesty, respect, and inclusivity, while always withholding a professional and positive attitude. They are mindful of misappropriation and steer clear of topics that might be offensive. They practice diversity in their posts and remain active on their platforms. I believe that joining their media staff could be a positive experience.

Brands/professionals with strong social media ethical codes: what brands are utilizing proper social media ethical practices? (5 pts) Are there any professionals that you feel practice strong ethical behavior on social media? (5 pts) Support your choice with evidence. What are some takeaways you can bring forth in your own practices? (10 pts)

Another brand that aligns with proper social media ethics is “Just Water.” Their media pages are consistently professional and steer clear of controversy, likely due to the practice of proper ethical behavior. Their marketing is inclusive of all demographics, with their Instagram page showcasing people from all around the world. Their posts are non-offensive and commonly display wholesome topics, such as family, friends, and health. Adding to this, Just Water boasts proper ethics in its manufacturing process as well by utilizing recycled materials as containers. A professional who demonstrates fine ethical behavior is Dwayne Johnson. Despite owning and affiliating with many brands, Dwayne, for the most part, stays in line with spreading a good message and showcasing his life in a non-offensive way. Not only does he balance the amount of advertising on his page, but he steers clear of any controversy or polarizing topics. On Dwayne’s Instagram page, there is a good balance of the advertising of movies and products, as well as his personal life and messages about health. Analyzing these entities helps me recognize the appropriate practices that support a brand in succeeding on social media. I realize that they both practice consistency, making sure to not stray away from their positive values. This helps them not get pulled into trends of controversy or offensive conversation. On top of consistency, both brands practice diversity in their posts, capturing different kinds of content and people so that most people can relate to it. 

Key concepts and issues: what main concepts do you think are necessary to adhere to for your own personal conduct online? (20 pts)

It is important to always remain aware of my social media presence and to establish a strong understanding of ethical behavior when conducting myself online. One of the first necessary ethical practices is to not be ignorant about the concerns regarding the world, to minimize the chance of spreading misinformation, sparking outrage, or making comments that might offend someone. I also believe it is important to be mindful of oversharing online, keeping my private life private. When sharing posts, it is necessary to fact-check the information first and give credit to the source of the information. Overall, practicing professionalism, consistency, and awareness would be beneficial to maintaining a positive social media presence. 

What to do and what not to do: what main concepts do you feel strongly against and want to make sure you avoid on social media? (20 pts)

As stated previously, a big concept to avoid on social media is spreading misinformation through post sharing, comments, and statements. Practices that help avoid this include strong protocols of fact-checking information before reposting or commenting. Having respect for others & their opinions is also important to avoid bullying. Staying clear of controversy and misappropriation is a strong component of a successful online experience, and avoiding ignorance is necessary for keeping a good reputation. Finally, manipulating an audience for personal gain should be avoided. Behaviors such as spreading propaganda, encouraging followers to send money, and being intolerant of specific demographics are all examples of bad ethics.

Bullet point 5-10 core concepts that you will follow as a practicing social media professional. Include citations that you used (20 pts)

Inclusivity. 

Giving credit where it is due.

Authenticity & honesty.

Respect for others and opinions.

Awareness and appropriate input.

Diversity in content.

Active participation online.

#Social Media Policy

By Fidel K. Nguyen for Comm: 1400-600

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Non-profits & Social Media

Fidel Nguyen~ With the rise of social media and its growing prominence in the world, new outreach opportunities arise as a consequence of the organizations that utilize its platforms effectively. This is especially true for non-profit organizations to spread awareness about their values, and involve the community to build support in their journey.

An organization that’s local to Woonsocket called Riverzedge arts, utilizes social media to document and spread awareness about their mission. Riverzedge’s main purpose is to provide job opportunities for teens through teaching art, which furthers the community by providing products like designs, t-shirts, videos, and paintings. Pulling from a quote written by Rob Pugh on Jetpack, “By sharing compelling stories, statistics, and campaigns, nonprofits can inspire followers to support their cause.” This quote supports the concept of social media’s vital role in the sustainability of a non-profit through expanding reach and gaining supporters. Riverzedge seems to utilize platforms like Twitter and Tiktok, but is mainly active on Instagram and Facebook. Although having success in sharing within the close community, this organization can improve on marketing their services to a wider audience.

Upon examination, it is clear that Riverzedge is most active on Facebook and is the main channel used to communicate with the community. Their current follower count is 2k which is expected of a local and small organization. Interactions on their post are consistent, usually having 1-10 likes and an equal amount of shares. A majority of their posts center around documenting or announcing events, with the most recent post sharing photos of client work and insight into the process. While this strategy is productive in sharing their values with the community, there was very little information regarding the products they sell and how to buy them. 

My suggestion to improve their Facebook page is to diversify the content they post. By advertising their services and providing detailed steps to obtaining them, Riverzedge can grow their supporters and collect more revenue to produce more art. Furthermore, they should include more entertaining media that generate engagement with their audience to be more relevant in Facebook's algorithm. As mentioned by Krishna Giri on Linked-in, “...With social media, communication has become more interactive and immediate.” Social media and the way society consumes it is ever-changing. This means that on top of sharing event pictures, Riverzedge must adapt and include different forms of media such as videos to stay relevant. It would also be of benefit to track their awareness, (behavioral metric), reach, (channel metrics), and advertising revenue, (advance metric). Riverzedge is currently focused on community-based media, but extending its content to a larger audience can help support its mission. Through practicing awareness of trends, Riverzedge can get ahead in navigating the evolving world of social media and adapt accordingly. Keeping an eye on reach is also important while monitoring progress to strategize new approaches. Finally including information on their services and products increases the chance for new supporters, as well as tracking advertising revenue. 

Riverzedge also has a presence on Instagram, although being less active on it. Their followers stand at 1.7k which is similar to their Facebook, however, there is a noticeable disparity regarding likes and engagement. Likes range from 100-200 depending on the post, but little to show in terms of comments, commonly having none. Most of their posts are recycled from their Facebook page, with the main difference being the use of occasional stories.  Similar to my suggestions on their Facebook page, I believe Riverzedge can improve by using features such as reels and stories provided by Instagram. The short-form media reels and stories entail, commonly get more traction in the algorithm as they are easier to watch. Pulling from an article on Kajabi, “...short videos also give you opportunities to grow faster for less money.” By taking advantage of this new channel of communication, Riverzedge opens opportunities for engagement and reach. Riverzedge should also track its audience growth, (advance metrics), story completions, (channel metrics), and impact, (behavioral metrics). By being mindful of their audience growth, Instagram can better produce content suited for their demographic, thus increasing engagement. Similarly, through tracking story completions they can analyze the effectiveness of their content. And finally, tracking their impact can orient them in where they stand among other companies using social media.

By Fidel K. Nguyen for COMM: 1400-600

#Vanity Metrics for a non-profit

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What is social media?

Fidel K. Nguyen~

Social media has never been more prominent in our society as it is right now, holding a major influence on many lives and organizations across the globe. Despite the relevance of social media in society, the massive scale of social media and its influence on the modern world can oftentimes be difficult to conceptualize and give a name to. In my view, I believe that social media consists of a vast online landscape that provides citizens and organizations with the opportunity to communicate messages via blogs, pictures, videos, and various forms of media. 

The presence of social media continues to expand, with new kinds of communication platforms each operating in a unique fashion usually revolving around the use of videos, pictures, and captions that evolve the social media landscape. A critical component of social media that renders it so powerful is the dual purposes of both personal and professional use. By creating an open platform where regular people can express their ideas at large, social media serves to push our culture forward by spreading art, politics, and ideas. Communication between individuals also provides a way for relationships to be fostered & maintained. Furthermore, social media revolutionized advertising by providing large organizations & enterprises with a place to market and communicate their products with customers. Through this, various businesses can excel at rapid rates and reach the population like never before. 

Like many, I’m a part of the expanding social media world and it plays a part of my life. I use platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat moderately in typical ways, mainly as forms of communication with friends and entertainment. This would classify me as a personal user of social media, as a majority of my time on it is spent bolstering my interpersonal relationships. And while I am not so active in posting content, I occasionally will use media platforms to learn new information or consume entertaining media. 

Because I grew up in the generation of technology, I was exposed to social media early on. Throughout the years, I acquired an understanding of its uses and application in communication situations and saw its impact on culture. I believe my capabilities to interpret the content portrayed on social media to be strong. I often will consider the intent and origin of a post, to determine the validity of the information displayed. Through years of consuming media, it seems to be intuitive for me to filter the content I see to understand the influences relevant factors might play, such as the publisher and context of the post. In contrast, because most of my time on social media is geared towards personal use, I notice a challenge I face is using social media in a more practical sense. When it comes to professionally communicating with a large audience, I lack experience but strive to improve as it is useful in today’s world.

While I start up my social media communication class, I find myself excited to improve my skills. The main takeaway I hope to see is an improved understanding of social media in the context of business and professionalism. I would love to learn how to speak to an audience professionally and more effectively. Having these skills will open up opportunities for future careers and give me the tools to effectively communicate at a large scale level.

for Comm: 1400-600