How does social media engage communications?
Social media has become an indispensable tool for communication in today’s world. It allows individuals to instantly connect with others worldwide, regardless of distance or time zone. With social media, people can form relationships with those who have diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. This allows for sharing knowledge, ideas, and perspectives and promotes understanding and empathy. In addition, social media provides a platform for people to express themselves and their creativity. I have discovered new interests and passions through social media. This is because social media exposes us to a vast array of content, from videos and articles to photos and podcasts, which can broaden our horizons and inspire us to try new things. Moreover, social media is not just limited to engaging in personal communication but has become a crucial tool for businesses and organizations’ engagement to reach their target audiences. They can promote their products and services through social media, engage with customers, and build brand awareness. Overall, social media has transformed how we communicate, creating new opportunities for connection, learning, and growth.
How does social media challenge communications?
I think social media challenges communications in a few ways that may not be apparent to everyone who uses them on the day-to-day. The biggest challenge I have faced is miscommunication, and many different types of this are possible. For instance, the tone is a big challenge; this can contribute to a difference in understanding. You cant rely on body language or voice, so it’s easy for messages to be quickly misunderstood. A few other miscommunication issues I have faced are misinformation, context, cultural differences, and language barriers. These are all issues most who use these platforms are faced with, but some might not see it either as a problem or recognize it at all. Another way social media can challenge communication is attention span. Social media users need short and concise, which can contribute to various problems. Social media algorithms often prioritize content that aligns with a user’s beliefs and interests, leading to a “filter bubble” effect where users are primarily exposed to information and viewpoints confirming their biases. This can contribute to a lack of diversity in opinions, limited exposure to new ideas, and an echo chamber effect that reinforces extreme or polarized views.
Is it inclusive?
I think social media can be inclusive, but I think that response will depend on who you ask and what they have interacted with on these platforms. For me, social media is inclusive as I feel I have never faced too many issues that either diminish my self-worth or make me feel bad about myself. On my profiles, I have created a space full of love, vulnerability, passion, and friendship that is supported by my friends and followers. I invite all to follow along for my fun adventures and genuinely share the abundance of happiness I have found in my life. I can post anything I really want to without hateful comments or anything along those lines. However, I know I am not like everyone. There are numerous stories, probably if you ask anyone, of hateful speech or non-inclusive environments. The first thing that comes to mind isn’t necessarily social media itself but the users on these platforms that let their personal values and political views infiltrate these platforms. In this sense, I’m talking about negative views on women’s rights, ethnicity, and gender. Although I haven’t engaged or faced comments or individuals on social media, I have heard stories and seen these activities on other users’ accounts. From this sense, no social media isn’t inclusive, and the algorithm picks up on it.
Does your PLN amplify the views of others?
My PLN amplifies the views of others that align with my own. The people I have on my PLN already are those who have similar views, values, and interests, and I like to amplify those views to those who follow me. I reshare content around the ideas of surfing, rock climbing, hiking, travelling, photography, business, outdoors, sustainability, and the University of Victoria. I also interact with users’ content that aligns with these topics, whether resharing, liking, or leaving a comment. Another aspect of social media is that I share quotes, which defiantly amplify my values compared to those other topics. It gives an inside scoop of what goes on in my brain, which I guess could be viewed by others, but most of the time, it’s a random quote or business account. I don’t support negativity on my pages, so if a comment or post pops up, I delete it or hide it. Social media can turn into a negative rabbit hole if you let it fill with content that actually empties your bucket. I take a firm stand on using my social media with positive intentions and interact with value-orientated content that the algorithm pops.
The policies of employer social media communication expectations.
If you compare the expectations for a cashier at a large retail store, such as H&M, and a CEO of a significant investment firm in Canada, the differences between the two would be stark. As a CEO, it is essential to closely monitor your social media usage as you are the face of the company. News reporters, investors, and followers all see the CEO as representing the company. Therefore, any behaviour or remarks considered hate speech could reflect poorly on the company and even result in termination from the position. Conversely, inappropriate social media behaviour for a cashier at a big retail store would still reflect negatively on the company and potentially impact their employment, but not to the same extent as a CEO. I believe there are social media expectations for a CEO, but not for a cashier. This distinction is due to the two positions’ differences in responsibility, long-term commitment, salary, and status.
How to better use social media to build PLN – Influencers & Commentators
Social media has become a popular tool for influencers to establish a robust Personal Learning Network (PLN) for various reasons, including growing their following base, sharing tips about their passions, or documenting their daily lives. However, the term “influencer” is now outdated and over-generalized, as it applies to anyone with a large following base. Those who use social media to promote products or services to their followers in exchange for payment or other benefits must establish transparency to build a strong relationship with their audience. Influencers should avoid lying to their followers for the sake of promoting products and instead focus on building trust with their audience. Furthermore, it’s crucial for influencers to be highly selective when deciding which businesses or products to promote. Accepting every offer that comes their way can harm their personal brand and erode the trust that their followers have in them. Instead, influencers should align their promotion with their personal brand and ensure that it resonates with their audience. To summarize, influencers can use social media to build a strong PLN by focusing on transparency, being highly selective about the products or services they promote, and staying true to their personal brand.
COMMENTS
#1
Hey Zheyu, thank you for sharing your ideas on community engagement!
I agree with your point that social media provides information from many different and unique perspectives! That is one of the main reasons I love social media: it can expand my knowledge and expose me to the information I didn’t know before. I have experienced the sensation that social media can help users understand different sides of the same topic, whether this is about daily news, facts, or help tips! Also, I totally agree that if I want to learn more about a specific topic, I am able to do so if I want a more comprehensive understanding of the subject or topic! Thank you for sharing your ideas, Zheyu; I don’t think you left anything out, and very well worded!
https://zheyublog.opened.ca/blog6-community-engagement-is-public-communications/
#2
Hey Catriona, I loved reading your post; it was engaging and enjoyable to read!
I loved to hear that you shared facts that relate to student life! I don’t see enough people in university actually sharing facts that relate to the majority of their following on social media platforms. I have never taken the time to understand your point of sharing an event to help grow your business demographic, even if it isn’t your own event. That is a marketing technique with a goal I have never focused on. Im interested to know more about it, as I’m a marketing major, and haven’t encountered one like it before. Your point of how social media isn’t inclusive based on the older segment of our population is a consideration i didn’t take when writing my own blog. You are so right, and I totally agree with you! Thanks again for sharing your ideas on social media in PNL engagement.