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Social Media Ethics

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? Explain what the cases are and why they are important enough to write about. (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) 

What brands are utilizing proper social media ethical practices? Don't use ChatGPT. Do your own research and explain why you think these organizations are doing a good job with social media ethics. (5 pts) 

Are there any professionals that you feel practice strong ethical behavior on social media? Name the professionals and explain what it is that they do that make you think that they are demonstrating ethical social media behavior. (5 pts) 

What are some takeaways you can bring forth in your own practices? Elaborate as to why you think this. (10 pts) 

What main concepts do you think are necessary to adhere to for your own personal conduct online? Don't just list the main concepts. List the concepts and explain why you think the concepts are important to adopt for your own online behavior. (20 pts) 

What main concepts do you feel strongly against and want to make sure you avoid on social media? Again, explain why it is you are against these practices. How are they unethical? (20 pts) 

List 5-10 core concepts that you will follow as a practicing social media professional. Explain the core concepts. 

With it being a bigger phenomenon than ever before, the idea of social media ethics has garnered a greater focus in the online world.  An example of this would be the increased focus on transparency when it comes to social media sites and their rules, ensuring what data is required from the user.  In addition to this, a greater focus on diversity has been emphasized, with varied religious, racial, and personal backgrounds coming to the forefront. However, there are still problems in regards to ethics on social media.  With the advent of AI-generation, there is a moral dilemma as to the authenticity of AI-generated content.  These posts also have a tendency to display exaggerated or simply false information, which can confuse and even come across as truth to older and less experienced internet users. 

An example of a brand that uses proper social media ethics to its advantage is Target.   It is transparent as to its purpose, providing a clear picture as to what it provides.  The supermarket chain also effectively portrays individuals of different backgrounds in its promotional material.  From this analysis, I can takeaway that to create a brand that practices ethical posting, I should focus on being transparent as to its purpose and to promote a positive, agreeable message.  These are what the most successful brands follow to maintain their influence.  These are also the concepts I choose to utilize in my own posts, so I can grow a dedicated following. 

As for concepts I am against, AI-generated content would be a main contender.  As previously mentioned, it is very disingenuous compared to human work. It is also infamous for providing answers from sources that are either innacurate or sometimes non-existent. I am also against data collection services.  As an internet user, one should be entitled to a certain amount of privacy when it comes to sensitive information such as location, browsing and financial information.   As for concepts I am, choosing to follow, they include: 

Authentic Content- To ensure that the information I produce is properly sourced and identifiable 

Stable Community- Provide quick and respectful responses to criticism, and to keep a healthy audience 

Data Privacy- Asking what data can be permitted for viewing, does not compromise more sensitive information 

Transparency- Make clear as to what the brand is promoting, keeping details explanatory and accurate 

Wide Appeal- Promote a positive message via fundraising, donation, etc.  to attract wider attention 

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Nonprofit Analysis: Project Sweet Peas

A great way for nonprofits to increase traffic on their websites and spread their cause is through the use of social media accounts.  Not only does it allow for more impressions from internet users, but it also expands its reach to those outside the community where the nonprofit exists. 

An example of a nonprofit in my community is Project Sweet Peas.   Their mission is to support the families of premature or ill infants.   Their accounts reflect this mission, being updated regularly with new events, as well as links that direct to their website, as well as related products.  These details help to expand their reach to online users, many of which are not part of the community.  The use of social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook helps to expand their reach, being some of the most frequently used social media applications. 

The first platform I chose to examine is Project Sweet Pea’s Facebook page, due to the fact that it is the platform they have the largest following on.   They have amassed 19k followers, which is a respectable amount for a nonprofit of their influence.  The number of likes on posts was variable, with less popular posts not exceeding 5 likes, while others neared 100 and many were in the upper double digits.  Their most recent posts detailed a “Sweet 16” event, celebrating 16 years since the founding of the nonprofit.  Even though social media is often difficult to grow an audience in, I believe Project Sweet Peas can make a few changes to direct more people to their website. 

A great way to promote more traffic to their pages would be a consistent posting schedule.   As Forbes has stated, social media posting should be regular (once a day at the very least), via the use of software tools like Hootsuite or Buffer.  Project Sweet Peas could benefit from this, considering the inconsistent nature of their posts: Multiple might be uploaded one day, and none might be the next.  This is reflected in their Facebook’s vanity metrics, which vary wildly from post to post. 

On Project Sweet Pea’s Instagram, their following is smaller than Facebook, yet still notable, as they have produced 1,876 posts which provided 6,169 followers.  Instagram higher engagement rate of 0.623% per post as opposed to Facebook’s 0.066%.   Posts on their Instagram typically receive between 20-50 likes and 1 comment at most.   The posts that receive the most traffic are those that depict the infants; these pictures can easily exceed 100 likes and 2-3 comments.  It may be Project Sweet Pea’s best interest to draw more attention to these kinds of posts. 

As previously mentioned, Project Sweet Peas should likely use a scheduling tool for posts on their social media, as their Instagram can go as long as a week without any updates.    In addition to this, a greater emphasis on Reels would help to attract new followers, considering the increasing popularity of short-form video content from competitors such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts.  Stories can also provide brief updates as to upcoming events or featured families. 

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What is Social Media?

Social media, judging by the varied interpretations and users of it, is not easy to define.  As for what I believe it means, I believe it can be best defined as a platform where anyone, from individuals and companies, can express their ideals, goals or products.   Depending on the site, this can come in many forms, via the use of text, image or video content.  The advent of social media has also led to far greater connectivity when it comes to communication.   The creation of chat rooms and designated communities has allowed for groups dedicated to specific niches to become prominent.  On the other hand, the development of direct messaging allows for simple contact with specific individuals or businesses in private, in a manner that is faster and more responsive than e-mail. 

As a social media user, I would characterize myself as someone who is primarily a viewer but produces content that is meant for entertainment.   As for my viewing habits, they reflect the content I create, mainly consisting of entertainment videos.  Rather than receiving certain information such as financial advice or news from social media, I would rather attain such information from other sources, such as the news, trusted websites, and books.  In short, I use social media exclusively for light-hearted/comedic content, as opposed to more informative posts. 

Given the fact that I have used social media for several years, I have a fair amount of knowledge of it.  My strengths in it generally lie in being able to determine the validity of posts when it comes to sensational topics, as I have grown accustomed to fact-checking details explained in posts.  I also tend to be aware of trends and recent news thanks to widespread coverage through posts.    My challenges come in the form of maintaining an audience through my content.   With the amount of competition that is present in modern social media, it can be very difficult to establish oneself as a creator.   Furthermore, with the speed at which new trends and ideas come and go, it is rather difficult to establish a brand without delving into current events or involving topics that have already been well-established themselves.  This leads to an issue where a great deal of popular content is seemingly “samey”, due to it all focusing on the same trending topics. 

As for the future, I would like to learn how to create an effective social media brand that attracts an audience.  Ideas such as search engine optimization, keywords and trend research that generally dictate audience growth would be examples of topics that I would be eager to learn.  It would also be interesting to learn how social media has indirectly influenced other forms of communication.   With the increasing prevalence of texting and direct messaging, physical forms of communication such as letters have become more obsolete.   Overall, I would like to be aware of how social media has been integrated in our society and how one can thrive in its atmosphere.