Social media is a type of media that utilizes features to promote communication with others engaged on the social channel or platform. With any type of media, its usage has pros and cons, and there can be both positive and negative social interactions, as is the nature of being social.

Social media has been in the spotlight due to the chaos of current events, and the realization that social media is not an owned channel. Not owning the channel means we are at the whim of the creators and business owners of the social media application, and in recent cases the government. 

What we can learn from the examples of Twitter becoming X under Elon Musk, and The United States Government vs TikTok ban is that brands and businesses need to be prepared for emergent issues, and have an integrated strategy that includes channels and spaces that they have control over; blogs, websites, emails, office hours etc.

In the second part of our series, we’ll take a closer look at the other side of the coin: the challenges and downsides of social media and what to watch out for when navigating these spaces.

Negatives

False Information

Sharing information on social media doesn’t mean it’s correct. Going to the internet to find answers often leads to confirmation bias, fake sources, and fake news. That’s why it’s important to check your sources and critically examine where information is coming from. Often information is shared without people reading the article, or parts are taken out of context. Medical News Today describes one study that said, “only 28% of participants described reading the full article before sharing, and 25% admitted to only having read a couple of lines or none at all.” It will be interesting to see how this changes with developments like Open AI’s ChatGPT writing numerous pieces of content for others. 

Social media platforms have tried to combat this by trying to implement numerous solutions like fact check pop-ups, and have even gone as far as suspending user accounts but the problem is still prevalent. The result, is “social media feeds with hundreds of 24-hour news cycles” mixing opinion and facts (U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 2023). It was also found that “fake news can spread up to 10 times faster than true reporting on social media.” Because social media is based on an algorithm that tries to keep you on each social platform as long as possible to generate revenue through ads, it will also show you more of the content you like, share, and engage with; resulting in a loop of feedback that contributes to the spread of misinformation and confirmation bias (U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 2023).

With the recent news of certain social platforms getting rid of fact-checking, Canada's continued news ban on Meta platforms, and political movements regarding free speech, the magnitude, ramifications, and impacts remain to be felt.

Sharing Too Much Information

Another problem with sharing information is that there is such a thing as sharing TOO much information. For those who have had a large internet presence over their entire life, it’s incredible to see what information is still lurking (embarrassing Facebook memories constantly remind me that my teenage self was never thinking about what was "too much information"). Take a look at the data that teens now share on social media platforms.

Posting pictures of your kids, your home, or simply leaving the metadata on your photo can risk your security. Social media tries to combat this with privacy settings or safeguards but some argue that they are not doing enough. Often the breach or availability of this data leaves people, organizations, and businesses susceptible to scams and criminal attacks like doxing, or identity theft. You can read our cyber security tips for nonprofits to learn how to better protect yourself online.

Scams

Social media does have moderation tools to try and combat scams, however, they are not as proactive as one would hope. It is usually up to the administrator or user to be weary or knowledgeable of scams and to mark them as spam for the platform’s algorithm to identify to delete. Take a look at Norton’s list of current scams to educate yourself on just some of what is happening today. With innovation comes new ways to scam people. Read our blog to learn how to identify and dodge these scams.

Parasocial

Social media is all about communication and being social! Building a two-way relationship with individuals is so amazing, but it also leads to something called parasocial relationships. Parasocial relationships often arise for influencers, celebrities, or the face of a brand or organization. As these individuals share personal stories, their lives, or other content, followers believe they have formed a type of friendship or relationship with them. This behaviour often results in a lack of boundaries and can lead to dangerous situations. It is important to set boundaries and limit what is shared to prevent your organization, workers, or volunteers from being subject to the negative effects of parasocial relationships. You can read more about experiences of parasocial relationships here.

ALL Communication (Bullying/Trolls)

Being on the internet opens up ALL communication. This can result in bullying, trolls, harassment, defamation, etc. Knowing how to keep your community safe and moderate content on social media is key to keeping a thriving space for your followers where they feel safe. Take a look at the data for U.S. teens and cyberbullying. It’s alarming! Nearly “three-quarters of teens or more think elected officials and social media sites aren’t adequately addressing online abuse.”

Depending on your business and what content you are sharing, you might also be subjected to trolling. Knowing how to deal with trolls and what to do is a key component of a brand safety plan that your organization should have in place.

Psychological Harm - Expectation to Address Sensitive Topics and What That Means For Your Community

The information and content shared on social media can cause real psychological harm. As a nonprofit that might address sensitive topics, it’s important to know what this means for you and your community. Knowing how to discuss sensitive topics while still respecting and regarding the mental health of your community is essential. You can read Hey Orca’s guide to addressing sensitive topics if you are not sure where to start.

Form of Advertising/Marketing

It’s a double-edged sword. Social media is great and effective for advertising and marketing, but people don’t like being marketed too. Whether you find creative ways, there’s still a risk of disengaging your audience because “74% of people are tired of social media ads” (SurveyMonkey). Here are just a few of the reasons why people might not be happy with your marketing posts. The takeaway? Listening to what your community wants, being authentic, and being relevant to the platform you are marketing on will help reduce the immediate ick that people get from social media ads.