Social Media

1. Social media and rule of the mob

   Published on Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
   Writing his opinion piece in the Dominion Post today under the descriptor “curmudgeon”, columnist Karl du Fresne says it is hard to recall a time when the tone of public discourse was more vicious and abusive.  He cites the attacks on former EMA boss Alasdair Thompson and ACT leader Don Brash, saying little attempt was made to address the substance of the issues they raised.  “Far easier to shout them down with epithets”.

   The veteran journalist is in my view conservative when he says the level rancour in public debate has been cracked up tenfold by the internet, and puerile abuse trumps civilised discourse every time.

   Du Fresne says that anonymity gives courage to cowards, and newspapers learned decades ago that they attracted a higher standard of letter by having people sign their own names rather than hide behind pseudonyms.  Unfortunately I don’t think we will ever achieve the same level of maturity with social media.  For all its positive attributes, it’s a tailor-made tool for those with a mob mentality.

2. Loose lips sink ships and so can Twitter

   Published on Friday, June 17th, 2011
   Today we learned of the All Blacks new social media policy, dubbed ‘online is offside’. In an attempt to avoid competitive leaks and unnecessary distraction, our players have now been banned from personal tweets during the Rugby World Cup.

   Are such social media boundaries a bit extreme, or are they much-needed and well overdue? And where did our common sense go with all this newfound reach?

   Overseas, it seems they’re facing the same problem establishing boundaries for social media usage. The UK defence force has just launched an advertising campaign that reminds family and friends of servicemen in combat zones to watch what they say on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

   Meanwhile Senator Weiner has learnt the power of a tweet pic having naively tried to blame hackers for his online philandering, and UK juror Joanne Fraill is serving an eight month jail term after discussing deliberations with the defendant on Facebook.

   They’ve learnt the hard way (although it seems obvious), that no longer do snoops need to scour through rubbish bins, peep through windows or listen at doors, when they can just view a Twitter feed or ‘Facebook stalk’.

   While common sense is the first rule of thumb for all communication, it’s also clear that not everyone applies it to tweets and statuses. Just as we wouldn’t sit in a crowded room sharing sensitive information or making inappropriate personal comments (well we shouldn’t) – why do some people think it is okay to do it online?

   All Blacks Cory Jane and Neemia Tialata have already been told off by management for tweeting back in 2009 about their non-selection to face England more than 24 hours before the team was officially announced. It seems that even sports stars are guilty of assuming that the normal rules of confidentiality and ethics don’t apply when using social media.

   Perhaps some of these rather obvious examples will remind people just how accessible our thoughts are when posted online. Mainstream and major media journalists are quoting Twitter updates in news stories, and Sh*t My Dad Says, a popular Twitter feed based on a father’s thoughts and rants, has been turned into a television sitcom starring William Shatner.

   On the other hand, we mustn’t let the potential risks or a lack of boundaries undermine faith in the value of using Twitter. Just as we take a thoughtful approach to using traditional media, we must do the same online. Our interface with the Fourth Estate continues to evolve and so too will our interface with these newer social media channels.

   Others will be talking about you but what you really need is them to talk with you. If you are not part of the initial conversation, when you do have something to say, you probably won’t be heard or you’ll lack the authority to be taken seriously.

   So how ever you use it, always remember that loose lips can sink ships, but tweets could sink a whole lot more.

3. Should governments have the right to censor Facebook?

   Published on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
   Major tragedies are usually followed by a host of different reactions and responses. These are frequently played out in public as individuals try to connect with other like-minded people to affirm their own reaction to a situation. Naturally the online world offers many forums in which to do this.

   Most recently, British PM David Cameron came under fire for demanding a Facebook tribute page in memory of gunman Raoul Moat, named “RIP Raoul Moat you legend”, be taken down. The creator claimed the page was not to “condone what he did, as what he did was wrong. [I] Feel sorry for the families, but he was still a human being at the end of the day. He had problems and he didn’t get any help.”

   Despite this explanation, David Cameron condemned the page, categorically stating that he could not understand any sympathy towards this man. The UK government directly contacted Facebook and its creator, Mark Zuckerberg, asking that the page be taken down. 

   Facebook’s initial respone was that it is a “place where people can express their views and discuss things in an open way …as such there were times when people discussed topics others sometimes found distasteful. However, this is not a reason in itself to stop a debate from happening.”  So long as Facebook’s terms and conditions were not violated, the social media giant felt there was no case to answer to.

   Eventually the creator herself backed down, presumably in light of the outrage across the UK, and taking down the page earlier this week. 

   On one level, it seemed to me that David Cameron is possibly naïve in his belief that a government has the right to censor public opinion, and to do so in such a public way potentially has future ramifications. On the other they are representing the interests of their people, and when the brutal actions of one person look as though they are being celebrated, surely they can and should look to shut down that particular discussion.

   But Facebook also has a point. There are any number of distasteful and immoral topics being discussed on the internet and through social media even as you read this. Where is the line to be drawn? What if a corporation’s facebook page had negative messages written on it? Does the fact they have a Facebook page mean they are open to comments and criticism, or should they have the option to decide what is posted on their ‘wall’?

   How do we protect people’s right to free speech while ensuring it doesn’t result in the unreasonable victimisation or stigamitisation of others – be it an individual, brand, or an organisation?

4. Can Social Media Turn the Tide for the Obama Administration?

   Published on Thursday, June 17th, 2010
   Ariana Huffington, Editor in Chief and Co-Founder of the self-named Huffington Post, wrote an interesting piece last week on how the US government is looking to develop social media channels to enable the public to be more closely involved in the decision-making processes of government. 

   Possibly it’s part of the Obama Adminstration’ s move to address concerns that Pres. Obama is not hearing what the people want. But it is also a sign of their very real understanding of the need to integrate modern communication mechanisms into the traditional communications mix.  
    
   The Obama administration’s appointment of the first ever Chief Information Officer demonstrates its awareness that this space should be developed, managed and protected, just as any other major piece of the nations infrastructure needs to be handled. So perhaps this next move will in fact highlight some of the underlying traps that businesses currently face.

   Presumably with access to the best tech brains in the US to help refine and fashion social media as an effective communication channel, the outcomes should be very interesting.
    
   While the premise of public input into law making via the news channels is  refreshing, almost inevitably there is a high risk of issues being captured by lobby groups who may use such  anonymous forums as a way of promoting their version of what  real Jo Public thinks  – which may not be correct. On the other hand, any such attempts at manipulation may be so obvious as to not be an issue, and the forum will prove to be a more modern means of truly allowing public participation in government. 
    
   Delivery of, and access to information through technology is an area that potentially requires a whole new set of guidelines, regulations and laws. Undoubtedly they will come and offset the wild-west dimension to what some people continue say and do in the new media. Examples abound of rogue sites, blogs and facebook postings. Here’s hoping that an initiative by a really tech savvy government will create some outcomes that will prove beneficial for the rest of the world.

5. No cure, but other miracles

   Published on Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
   As PR and communications specialists we are sometimes humbled and often inspired by the communications initiatives of those whom typically we’d regard as amateurs. (Perhaps this is a sign that we take ourselves too seriously.)

   One such experience has been a blog titled Mike’s Big Adventure which was started in February by Tracey as a way of sharing with family and friends the journey on which husband Mike and her set out to beat his recently diagnosed aggressive form of stomach cancer. Given little hope by traditional oncology, they traveled to a clinic in San Diego for a different solution.

   If you’ve ever had someone close to you very sick, you’d agree that this little blog was a wonderfully effective way of staying in touch. Narrative updates at the press of button, without the need for endlessly repetitious phone calls.

   Mike and Tracey returned to Auckland around mid-March to carry on the treatment with the comfort of family and home. 

   While there was no cure, there were miracles – the simple ones of support and love.  Almost every day, without fail, Tracey blogged on the joys and anguish of this terminal adventure. She shared a very personal perspective and her blog following grew exponentially.  At times it has surely been the best-read blog in New Zealand.

   What started as a journey of hope, became a mechanism for coping with the struggle and powerlessness of saying goodbye and losing the one you love most.  

   There was no happy ending, and at the funeral Tracey said that the only way that she could cope with speaking at the very large gathering to farewell Mike was to treat it like another blog.  Later that evening there was a Blogger Party, the modern equivalent of an Irish wake.

   Through her blog Tracey showed us how natural communications can be. Outside of her close family, whanau, friends and workmates (of both her and Mike), she built a community of support through a modern tool of communications.

   Thanks Tracey for showing us how good and purposeful a blog can be.

   PS: This blog touched thousands of people in different ways. At Network PR, it was a special experience because Tracey is the mother of a colleague, Cameron.

6. Rewriting the crisis management template

   Published on Friday, April 30th, 2010
   Corporations not convinced of the role that social media can play in crisis or issues management communication need only study its role during the recent Iceland volcanic eruption to change their position totally.

   As you read this, the template for managing a crisis is being rewritten.

   In the recent airline crisis, experienced as a result of the Icelandic volcano eruption, twitter proved itself a frontline communication tool, sitting alongside the more traditional first responses such as call centres, hotlines and websites.

   According to Mashable, The Social Media Guide, the use of twitter during the crisis started as a self help tool among stranded travellers.

   Also immediately, airline communicators picked up on what was happening, and started to update flight status and provide service information on twitter through hashtags (devices for tracking specific topics). This initiative alone was credited with taking a significant level of pressure off call centres that were close to being overwhelmed.

   The more innovative airlines extended their initiatives down into their Facebook pages, providing general information and also engaging in one-on-one real-time conversations with customers, including seeking to re-book stranded passengers on alternative flights.

   Meanwhile, back on twitter the public started to lend a hand to stranded travellers – offering rides, places to stay and food.

   If you want a more detailed overview of social media’s role in the crisis please click here.

   The key learning to emerge from this for those involved in crisis management is the need to include in the management plan an important role for social media.

   A significant proportion of the public instinctively look to twitter and Facebook for information, and as communicators we need to reach out to our audiences, rather than require them to come to us.

7. Fair Play or Out Of Bounds

   Published on Thursday, January 28th, 2010
   The ability of the media to ‘spark’ a controversy, and that of social media to ‘fuel it’ has rarely been better illustrated than the histrionics raging in Australian over the comments made by the new Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, when asked the question:  what advice would you give your daughters about sex before marriage.

   The question was posed by The Australian Women’s Weekly when doing a personality piece on Abbott. His response [not to give away their virginity lightly] is, I would have thought on face value, acceptable enough fatherly wisdom.

   However, when you are a politician, nothing is taken on face value.

   As would be anticipated, the reaction to his comments has been as diverse as ‘a brilliant answer’ to ‘yet another self-acknowledged one-time drug-taking, Vatican roulette-playing, shagabout, white, middle-aged male telling young women not to do what he did when he was their age’ (an Australian comedian).

   Now Abbott is an experienced politician, and his media minders are hardly likely to be lightweights, so it’s not unreasonable to assume he knew what sort of reaction he was likely to generate. The decision to answer the question the way he did had to be deliberate, and was designed to achieve a specific result.

   Post coverage analysis will tell him whether he obtained what he set out to achieve.

   By and large, New Zealand politicians have steadfastly refused to allow or inject their families into media coverage to raise their profile. In Australia, some at least are obviously not so reticent.

   I think the Kiwi approach is the wiser.

   What is of real interest to those of us who work in the media world is the power social media has to take the initial story, and fragment it into stories about politics, parenting, morality, religion, feminism, manipulation (of the media), hypocrisy and personal choice, to name a few.

   For those who have doubts about the power of social media, have a read.

   One only hopes that the media does not seek to prolong the controversy by asking Mrs Abbott and her three daughters as to their views on Mr Abbott’s musing. Enough is enough!

8. Curious questions for a new decade

   Published on Monday, January 25th, 2010
   1. Where did the man on the street go?

   Web 2.0 where? We wondered if the exuberance around the democratising power of the all-access-internet we saw mid-decade hasn’t become a bit deflated in the past year or so. Could the man on the online street have been shouted out by the noisier and better resourced?

   With a host of new web tools and loads of corporates, newsmakers, brands, politicians and NGO’s joining in the discussions, there is real concern over authenticity of content.

   We need the man on the street to speak out to ensure the balance of power remains fair.  We need genuine two-way conversations, or this fantastic medium will become another advertising forum with one-sided conversations.  Certainly the economic downturn has redirected people’s focus, but we are predicting a comeback of the everyday opinionated. And what a comeback it will be!

   2. Will the media make it? 

   Of course they will, but in what form? They have copped it with both barrels and boy it shows.  Barrel one – technological change has seen news content migrate online without a viable commercial model. Second barrel – audiences largely want their news ‘without’ advertising at a time, place and in digital format of their choice. Add in the reduced effectiveness of traditional advertising, which bankrolls most media, and ouch.

   Some outfits will no doubt falter, but by the decades end we are likely to be paying for quality news one way or another, and we won’t mind or probably even notice. Check out the New York Times who are on the brink of making it pay and they need to, because let’s face it, delivering real news real well costs a packet.

   3. Why are we more interested in the fallen mighty than the mighty issues?
    
   Despite the scary state of the world (think world peace, climate change and economic upheavals), celebrity news will always win the day.  The value in seeing the private foibles of the mighty such as our media stars, politicians, business leaders and sports stars played out in public is immense.  We think it might have something to do with the fact that it makes people feel better about their own lives, knowing that even the rich and famous don’t get it right all of the time.

   To err is human and to recover is clearly seriously divine. Unfortunately the message to the impressionable is that professional success allows for serious personal failures – providing we apologise.  All it takes for those in the public eye who have been caught out is to make a heartfelt mea culpa, fall on their sword or better still, check in to rehab, and all is forgiven – eventually.  While it might take our mind off the real issues at hand, it prompts real concerns for the impact it might have on younger generations.  Do some media not have a responsibility to truly hold these people to account in the people’s court?

   4. Is there a journalist in the house?

   The principles of the 4th estate are to hold the powerful accountable, to scrutinise and to provide transparent information on behalf of the citizenship so we can all choose how to vote, work, or shop.  This scrutiny requires experienced, thoughtful people working in an environment free of hefty commercial imperatives.  That’s a big ask given an environment where newsrooms are stretched to their limit, and media owners are screaming for more efficiencies to drive profit they now can no longer raise from advertisers.

   But never fear, journalists are a nuggety lot, and while it will take some time, we predict the next decade will see the rise and rise of the individual journalist.  Once the true value of their content is understood, and we have a workable way to pay for it, the face of news is set to change for the good.  This new breed will be real life crusaders with massive spheres of influence standing clear of news organisations to become brands in their own right, and they will cover the gamut of political viewpoints, single handed.

   5. To Blog or not to Blog?

   Our final question is an easy one really and the answer is an emphatic yes! While we may be a tiny drop in the Blog Ocean of billions, we are determined to shine in our own way.  We hope you keep following us and using your people power to ask the questions and pose new issues.

9. Do the hoki-toki

   Published on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
   We’ve all heard plenty about the potential threat to the reputations of business and brands posed by new online tools.

   These networks, coupled with the ability of Google to draw a crowd on any topic, can spread bad news far and wide. It’s simple: pick an issue, mix in some influential commentary, and then watch the trending and traffic stream based around the keyword take off. Instant crisis.

   We were interested to note a new development which could help balance the communication ledger somewhat, and help turn a possible crisis into an opportunity to communicate.

   The fascinating new tactic has been termed ‘media accountability’ by its leading proponent, New York PR man Jim McCarthy.

   We’d been keen to hear your views on this. So follow the link:

   http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/11/new-public-relations-beating-back-bad-press-with-google-adwords/

10. Fair Game – what’s thought in the real world can now be posted online

    Published on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
    Google’s Sidewiki, an application that appears as a browser sidebar where you can read and write entries along the side of a webpage, could become the ultimate platform for those who like to share their views and opinions. Brands and business had better sit up and take notice of this development.

    Sidewiki is a new way of allowing anyone to contribute information, comments, observations and criticisms right there on a webpage. Think about this for a second, with Sidewiki, any web based article can be transformed into a public space of unedited thoughts ranging from super insightful, through helpful and witty, to downright malicious.

    Many of us who are comfortable with the free-for-all of social networking spheres may not see this as a big deal because currently blogs, micro and otherwise, are the open forums in which people discuss all manner of things, including the performance of brands. 

    But Sidewiki will make these conversations mainstream. 

    It will now be impossible for brands to broadcast a message or to communicate in a one-way traffic style and not potentially be called to account.

    This new tool makes two- way communication the only communication option for brands as people now have the ultimate soapbox to express their views, right out there for all to see.

    For corporations, the Sidewiki forum drives home the importance of being able to stand up to scrutiny and being prepared to engage in robust discussion, with the added bonus of being able to defend your position too. Bring it on!