Social Media Blog

Archive for February, 2011

Social media, like other information outlets, can undoubtedly influence public opinion. What ethical considerations do you think governments and corporations should have when attempting to influence others? Does creating fake online personas go too far? Does it matter if the government or a corporate does it? Does it matter if the target is US citizens or “foreign foes”?

Ethics is becoming something prevalent in our society now more than ever with the recent scandals involving large corporations and individuals like Enron and Bernie Madoff.  It has become such a problem that many designation exams like CPCU have included ethics portions on exams. We even have classes at Temple that are dedicated to the study of ethics.

I believe that it is very unethical for the government of all entities to create fake personas on social media outlets to try and persuade those that are not educated enough to come up with their own ideas and values on a subject.  I know for a fact that some companies already use fake aliases to go on rating websites to post great ratings for themselves.  I know this because a few friends I know have had jobs where they were asked to go on places and post good comments about the company to increase its rating.

I think it matters a lot regardless of who is being targeted by these fake aliases.  I mean if the government is doing it to foreign foes to disrupt them and replace their agendas with the US governments agendas, how long before the government uses it as a tool to manipulate US citizens.  For example, If hypothetically the US citizens were to revolt against the government much like Egypt did, then wouldn’t the government use the same tactics it used in foreign countries to stifle unrest here.  I don’t see anything good coming out of using fake personas at all.  It is the inherent risk of this society now that we can all go online and pretend to be someone else, but it doesn’t mean that it is alright to do that.

What role do you think social media should play in emergency response? If you were in a natural disaster or some other type of emergency situation, in what ways would you turn to social media?

I believe that social media could play a large role in emergency response. I know that most of my friends and family members all use some form of social media whether it be, facebook, twitter, myspace, etc.  I also know that most people now with the use of smartphones have these apps on it to access social media sites instantly.  I think it would be a great way for people to get an emergency response notice.

I don’t know if I would use social media for natural disaster news, but I could see it being a very prominent tool.  I don’t check the news that often, but I check facebook a lot more often whether it be to play a game or just check to see if anyone wrote on my page.  I think a great way to use it would be for your facebook to go directly into a emergency news section if a natural disaster were to occur in your area or in a relevant location to you.  My smart phone has gps technology and is able to show me on a map on my phone.  I think social media sites could use this same technology to warn people in the general vicinity of a natural disaster if one was to occur soon.

Eventually social media is going to be more prominent in our world and the uses are going to go beyond entertainment.

What I got from reading this article is that Craig Donato is saying that local businesses need to change the format of their current business strategy to encompass social media commerce so that they can expand their influence to new buyers all over the world.  The way that people shop for items is no longer the same way that use to be done.  People don’t always have to go to a local store or a mom and pop shop to be able to go buy items that they need.  People have options now and the one of the biggest new sources of shopping is the internet.  You can buy anything you want online now and it could be shipped from a number of places aorund the world.

Craig Donato though is specifically discussing the idea of social commerce which are companies like his oodle that has the market place on facebook and and also groupon.  Instead of just reading reviews by random people you dont know, you can now talk about items on facebook with your friends and buy products through recommendations through your actual friends.

Personally, I don’t really rely on recommendations from my friends because I believe that everyone has different tastes and specifications for an item.  I know that there might be something I love, that my friends think are absolutely stupid.  I definitely take my own opinions on a product in higher regards then from friends.  I honestly like to read reviews from a variety of people I dont know and if the item is liked by a majority of the people, then im more inclined to buy it then if a few friends like an item.  I know within a circle of friends, if one person likes it then the whole group might be inclined to like it just because their friends do.

I agree with Craig that local businesses need to find ways to build relationships in a broader range and outside their local town.

I am on the fence of whether or not Facebook should be banned or not.  I believe that websites that are not a part of your job relevance should be allowed while at work.  You are being paid by the company to work, not socialize while you are getting paid.  However, I also think that if you do it in a manner which does not affect your job performance it should not be banned.  I guess if I did really have to chose a single stance then it would have to be that Facebook should be banned.  I have had a couple internships where the corporate culture of the company is very strict.  If you are caught on websites during work that you are not suppose to be on then you were either reprimanded or let go immediately.  I don’t see a problem in Facebook being banned. I can only speak for myself that I am easily distracted and i find things to procrastinate with and Facebook is the ultimate tool for that.  THere are so many things to do on Facebook that I could waste an entire work day playing mini games, looking at pictures, commenting etc that if I was not to stay on task, I could easily waste my work day not doing anything.

If people feel really strongly about not being allowed to go on Facebook, then they do not have to work there. I would work at a company even if they banned Facebook.  If I really had a problem with it then I have the choice to go somewhere else.