First, let me get your attention:
“One in four people globally use social networks and by 2020, there will be more than six devices per person in the world.” (Knezevich 2014)
If you work for a business (for-profit, nonprofit, education, or faith based), you now work for a media publishing business because every business now uses social media. That is why this book is important to you, your reputation, your career, and your business.
This book is about your future and your reputation. It is about one simple word: trust
It is about your rights as a consumer to know when a post on a social media platform is an “advertisement” or a true testimonial. It is also about knowing whether a post that sounds so favorable is by a consumer who loves the product or service, or is by an “insider” simply disguised as a customer. It is about your ability to easily know the difference at a glance.
Why is this so important? It is important because social media posts by “insiders” can easily mislead you and other consumers. Here is an example:
You see a movie review on a website. The person recommends the film and has incredible things to say. It sounds legit, but what if you went to see the film and it did not live up to the review? Perhaps because the “reviewer” was actually the theater manager who books the films for that theater. Would you feel let down? Would that post have been more honest and transparent if the “reviewer” had disclosed the fact that he or she was the person who books the films?
Here is another example. Have you read some of the book reviews or product reviews on Amazon.com? What if someone reviewed a book or a product you were interested in but never disclosed they were part of the public relations team hired by the company that distributes the book or manufactures the product? Would you feel that was unethical? Now I’m sure this never happens but what if it did? How would you feel if you bought the book or product, it didn’t live up to its review, and later you found out the “reviewer” was hired to write reviews on as many sites as possible?
This book is about open, honest disclosure. It is a guidebook to help you understand the importance of and how to disclose your product, service, or venue on social media platforms, in an ethical way.
This is not about theory. It is about a reality that faces all of us every day.
We live in a new era. Not only must we disclose our relationship to employers and the public when we post on social media, in our businesses and organizations, we must also listen and respond to consumers.
We live in a time when consumers have more power than businesses and organizations. One consumer can post a negative tweet, picture, or video online, and if it goes viral, it does substantial damage to a business.
Perhaps the most classic case that demonstrates this point is the infamous “United Breaks Guitars” case.
If you know the case, it is a great reminder, and if you are unfamiliar with the story, it is now a case study from Harvard to universities and professionals worldwide. It is an example demonstrating how one person with a $150 video can get the attention of consumers and a multibillion-dollar corporation.
Let us go back in time to 2009. Canadian musician Dave Carroll was traveling on United Airlines and claimed the airline had broken one of his Taylor guitars. He also claimed that he and other passengers had seen baggage handlers throwing guitar cases on the tarmac during a layover at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. When he arrived at his destination, he discovered his $3,500 Taylor guitar was severely damaged.
As Carroll tells the story in interviews and in a video he later posted on YouTube, he spent nine months trying to work out compensation with United Airlines with no avail. He said United Airlines informed him he did not qualify for compensation because he did not file a claim within the “standard 24-hour timeframe.”
Therefore, Carroll (2012) and his band members, the Sons of Maxwell, created and posted a music video about his experience called “United Breaks Guitars.” The video immediately drew attention of bloggers, the news media, and many on social media platforms; within days, it went viral and became mainstream news.
“Within four days of the video being posted online, United Airlines’ stock price fell ten percent, costing stockholders about $180 million in value.” (Ayres 2009)
As of 2014, the United Breaks Guitars video had been seen over 14 million times on YouTube and is now a book!
In this book, we will review the Federal Trade rules and guidelines, explain why they affect all of us, help guide you in setting up a social media policy for any organization, and help you as a consumer.
We will also share what is happening in the rapidly changing world of privacy and help you understand what is happening now and in the future.
Whether you are someone who has a Facebook account, a student learning about why ethics and social media are so important, a businessperson who wants to implement a social media policy, or a social media guru, this book is for you.
Let us put it this way, if you value your privacy and want to be respected in this world, then read on.
Think how many times Facebook has changed its privacy settings without telling you. Have these changes ever caught you off guard? Is that ethical?
Have you ever vented in the heat of the moment and wished you had not said something? Imagine how teachers, physicians, lawyers, and students feel when they do that on social media.
There Is No Such Thing as Delete!
Contrary to what you may think, there is no delete button No matter what you think, whether you like it or not, nothing you post online, send via e-mail, or text is ever fully deleted. From employers, to Google, and many more, there is a digital record of everything you post and every picture that gets uploaded.
There is a side benefit in the discussions about social media ethics: These talks include an opportunity for every business to reinforce the values they stand for.
In this book, we will review what is happening in the social/digital space, and why this is so important to you. This background is important before understanding the ethical issues.
As I said in the beginning of this introduction, this book is about one word: trust
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer; I am an academic, consultant, and a consumer. Before making any changes to your existing policies, please consult with your own legal counsel and human resources experts.