Do We Need to Teach Social Media Behavior 101?
I recently came across a post by Steve Hodson over at Mashable in which he discusses Web 2.0 and social media. Despite whatever rumours you may have heard, social media is a widely popular, ever growing phenomenon that is sweeping up thousands of newbies each day. That being said, there are still people who don’t know how to use it properly. In his post, Hodson stated:
..Others though haven’t seemed to grasp the later effects to posting inappropriate stuff, even if they think it is funny as hell at the same time, it could very well come back to bite them on the butt.
Sadly, this is true…people misusing social media, that is… You see, while social media can and should be a fun tool, does this necessarily mean that we should abuse it? Take, for instance, the hundreds upon thousands of college kids who are on Facebook and Myspace. While both of these social media sites are fantastic for finding old friends and linking up with new ones, is it really a wise idea to post pictures of that wild night of drinking you had with you and your friends? What about those surveys that often get passed around- you know- the kind that ask you all sorts of personal questions that you think you’d probably want to keep between you and your doctor or therapist?
Behave Yourself!
When you’re young -or really- when you’re first learning something, you tend to make mistakes until you figure it out. That being said, the Internet is a very unforgiving place. If you put something out there and it’s less than flattering- whether it be a negative statement about someone else or a photograph, there’s a good chance that it may come back to haunt you. Not surprisingly, the same rules of etiquette for human social interaction are very similar when it comes to the Internet. Be courteous. Introduce yourself when talking to others. Thank people when they do something nice for you (especially if they weren’t obligated). If you have something to say, say it succinctly and make your point as clear as possible. All of these things will make you a more credible and highly valued resource.
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September 10 2008 02:00 am | Marketing
James Duthie on 10 Sep 2008 at 7:44 am #
It seems you’re too late Janelle. Didn’t you know… 30% of Facebook users have already been photographed or filmed nude…
http://seoroi.com/seo-roi-quality/30-of-facebook-photographed-or-filmed-nude-poll/
Have they no shame…
Tamar Weinberg on 10 Sep 2008 at 8:07 am #
So true! I deal with a lot of commenters who think it’s appropriate to write comments — and then think it’s safe to request removal in the future.
You have to assume that once you post comments on blogs, it’s part of the public discourse. People may respond to them afterwards, and if you choose then to ask a forum moderator or blogger to remove the comment (which is part of the conversation), it’s really hard to say yes.
Think before you speak and realize that the conversation may not go as you plan. In a worst case scenario, everything you post publicly can be used against you.
Alina Popescu on 10 Sep 2008 at 8:08 am #
It’s funny how young people who supposedly know everything about the internet and on anything technology brings out are so forgetful when it comes to negative effects!
I see MySpace, Hi5 or Facebook profiles of teenage girls that will have a hard time in the future if they ever want a decent job. Google searches will soon be part of recruiting efforts around the world
Sam on 10 Sep 2008 at 9:13 am #
Thanks 4the great report, and in this time and age I think we need to Teach Social Media Behavior to our teens in school; its good quality and bad.
Sam
Janelle on 10 Sep 2008 at 10:13 am #
@James…that’s exactly what I’m talking about! You think that they would know better!
@Tamar…I agree- I think that a lot of readers or people who perhaps aren’t used to commenting on blogs, etc. think that it’s ok to retract statements that they’ve made at any point in time. If anything written word has more of a permanence than spoken word- people need to realize that..
@Alina..you’re right- people need to realize that the Internet, while it can be helpful, can also be incredibly hurtful too.
@Sam…thanks for the comment- I think that social media behavior IS something that should be brought up in a classroom setting…
Jim Estill on 10 Sep 2008 at 11:41 am #
We totally need to teach social media behavior. People need to understand that what they post is kept forever and so need to consider that in everything they “say”.
And not unlike email, there are good “rules” to follow. One simple one is “don’t post anything you would not want your mother (or grandmother) to see.”
John on 10 Sep 2008 at 12:19 pm #
Melanie McBride–someone I follow on Twitter–is a huge proponent of educating people on Social Media behavior and the downstream impact it can have on their lives.
Karl Staib - Your Work Happiness Matters on 10 Sep 2008 at 9:54 pm #
I think it’s also about being honest with ourselves. Would we say the same statement to a group of people in a room? Are you only trying to provoke because you are bored?
When we say what we mean and do it as honestly as possible then we are being smart with social media.
Coffee Break on 14 Sep 2008 at 8:40 am #
[...] at Create Business Growth asks the question, Do We Need to Teach Social Media Behavior 101? It’s a very real question and I’m sure that a lot of social media companies wish that [...]
Janelle on 15 Sep 2008 at 8:25 am #
@Jim…totally agree- and again, you would think that people would realize this for themselves and be more careful about what they put out there on the web…even via email!
@John…I’ve actually checked out Melanie’s work..she has a lot of really fascinating points that she brings up on her blog
@Karl…great point- why should posting something on the Internet be any different than face-to-face communication?