Risky Business Conference
May 1, 2012
Ames Iowa,
Bruce Buchanan, ACSW, LISW, BCD
Judy Rinehart, MSW, LISW; BCD
Myke Selha, MSW, LISW
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Understanding texting, instant messaging, blogging,
micro-blogging, social networking, virtual worlds, smart
phones, audio and video streaming, collaborative
networking platforms, and web conferencing.
Discussing the opportunities and challenges that these
developments pose for our profession, our clients, and the
general population.
Discuss the ways in which social media is reshaping
communication, interpersonal relationships, institutional
interactions, social policy advocacy, and political
participation?
Hamlet’s Blackberry: A practical philosophy for building a
good life in the digital age”—William Powers

“THE MAN WHO
CONSTANTLY AND
DESPERATELY KEEPS
GOING TO THE POST
OFFICE TO CHECK FOR
CORRESPONDENCE FROM
OTHERS HAS NOT HEARD
FROM HIMSELF IN A LONG
HAMLET’S BLACKBERRY
WHILE.”
ARGUES THAT THE SAME

--Henry David Thoreau
CAN BE SAID THESE DAYS
FOR THOS WHO ARE
DOING THE MODERN
EQUIVALENT;
INCESSANTLY CHECKING
E-MAIL, FACEBOOK,
TWITTER AND THE LIKE

“Of the two mental
worlds everyone
inhabits, the inner and
the outer, the latter
increasingly rules.”

“We’re like so many
pinballs bouncing
around a world of
blinking lights and
buzzers. There’s lots of
movement and noise,
but it doesn’t add up to
much.”
“Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less
from each other.”—MIT Professor Sherry Turkle (In Psychotherapy
Networker)
The blurring of
boundaries
between
ourselves and our
computers, cell
phones, smart
phones and iproducts is
affecting the way
we think and feel,
changing the way
we experience
solitude, and
compromising
our willingness to
risk face-to-face
intimacy and
friendship.”

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“We live in a technological world that is often set up so
we treat each other like things. Its as if we need a
package warning for technology that says, Beware of
Treating People like Things.”
The second self: computers and the human spirit; life
on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet.”
“Whether you think its
exciting or scary,
mobile devices have
changed how we
interact.”
–Mike Klein, The Des
Moines Register
“A century ago, when the first home phone
were “party lines” shared by neighbors,
worrying you were being listened in on was a
common feature of American culture.”
—Sociologist Claude Fischer, University of
California Berkeley
"Go to any ER,
school, jail and
see first hand
what race is
over
consuming
precious US
resources?”
–comment on
USA Today


“Unashamed bigotry tossed
off in the comments sections
of some of the Internet’s
most popular websites,
today’s virtual main street.”
“At the newspapers
websites, moderators delete
individual racist comments
that are brought to their
attention.”
The Des Moines Register, Jesse
Washington—Associated Press
This was the #1 Google search item to
pop up on Google images for “Michelle
Obama” on Nov. 13, 2009.
"We all know who
MADE America
what it is today,
and we also know
which group is
receiving hefty tax
dollar pay outs...
so until the tables
turn the only thing
you should be
saying is thank
you' to all the hard
working (Whites)
who gave you the
life you now take
for granted."
--comment on
Yahoo News civil
rights story

“When the personal
computer revolution began
decades ago, Latinos and
Blacks were much less
likely to use one of the
marvelous machines.
Then, when the Internet
began to change life as we
know it, those groups had
less access to the web and
slower on line connections
placing them on the wrong
side of the digital divide.”
The Des Moines Register,
January 9. 2011, Jesse
Washington, Associated
Press
Cartoon by Peter Steiner reproduced from page 61 of July 5, 1993
issue of The New Yorker (Vol.69 (LXIX) no. 20)
“Now they can better
communicate with, and more
easily blend into the hearing
world.”
Associated Press—The Des Moines
Register
Adolescents
Couples
Students

Teens who text 126 times a day or more are more
likely to have had sex or used alcohol and drugs
than kids who don’t send as many messages.”
Dr. Frank Scott, Associate professor of epidemiology and
biostatistics, Cage Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Meeting at the National American Public Health Assocation—
November 2010
—USA Today—Szubo Marlos, Health Day, November 11, 2010
Text and Twitter messages further the
use of acronym-speak and now
celebrities talk it

ILY I love you
LOL Laughing Out
Loud
WTF What the F**k
TTYL Talk to you
later
BFF Best friends
forever
That was a tough speech to have to sit through and kind of
stomach because the President is so off base in his ideas of
how he believes government is going to create jobs...his
theme last night in the State of the Union was the WTF, you
know, "winning the future." And I thought, okay, that
acronym? SPOT ON. There are a lot of WTF moments
throughout that speech.
"WTF, B.O.B.?" Anderson
Cooper asked on his CNN
show Anderson Cooper 360,
when commenting about
rapper B.O.B.’s use of an
airplane’s public address
system to rap.
Cyberbullying
“Bullying may
increase risk for
adolescent suicide”



Medscape—presented at the American
Public Health Association’s Annual
Meeting, November 2010
“Many gay/lesbian
students may be harassed
or bullied electronically
(Facebook, text message,
Twitter)
American Public Health Association
Annual Meeting, November 2010
Couples: Divorce
lawyers revel in
online evidence

“Over sharing on social networks has led to an overabundance of
evidence in divorce cases.” American Academy of Matrimonial
Lawyers says 81 percent of its members have used evidence
plucked from Facebook, MySpace, Twitter & Social Networking
sites, inclouding YouTube and LinkedIn.”

Leanne Italie—Associated Press, The Des Moines Register
Students: Is the
technology wave
drowning students?

“There’s a big difference
between passing notes and
texting. The audience can be
a lot bigger and be in any
location.”
Keith Oyweneel—Weld
County, Colorado
“Some see the use of computers in
school as nothing but a huge
distraction but others say they aid
learning.”
“That’s so old school compared to texting”: The
Des Moines Register
The internet is now considered Web 2.0 media in which
people actively converse with other users and participate in
the creation of content (Giffords, 2009).
Social Network Sites can be defined as:
"a web-based service that allows individuals to (1) construct
public or semi-public profiles within a bounded system; (2)
articulate a list of other users with whom they share a
connection and (3) view and traverse their list of connections
and those made by others within the system" (Boyd &
Ellison, 2008 p 211).
21
Common features of online social networks include a personal
profile representing oneself for the purpose of being contacted or
making contact with others who share the site (Gross, & Acquiti
2005).
Social networks and blogs have grown exponentially in recent
years and are now the 4th most popular online activity moving
ahead of personal email with member communities being visited
by 67% of the global online population; and time spent interacting
within these communities is growing at 3 times the overall internet
rate accounting for almost 10% of all internet time (Nielson, 2009).
22
The use of social networking web sites has reached almost half
(48%) of the American population in 2010 translating into 78%
of teens; 77% of those ages 18 to 24; 66% of those ages 25 to 34,
and 50% of those ages 35 to 44 having a personal profile page
(Webster, 2010).
Almost one third (30%) of Facebook users are willing to make
all of their profile information available to a random stranger
and his/her network of friends (Gross & Acquisti, 2005).
Personal information that may not be shared within the context
of a social work student’s relationship with a client, peer or
employer is now readily available for not only these
individuals, but a much wider, often unanticipated audience
crossing over into other contexts while also becoming persistent
in time (Kornblum, 2008).
23
Social Networking
=
Stupid Faster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
24
25
Social workers shall be responsible for becoming
proficient in the technological skills and tools
required for competent and ethical practice and for
seeking appropriate training and consultation to
stay current with emerging technologies.
26
Social workers shall strive to become and
remain knowledgeable about the dynamics
of online relationships, the advantages and
drawbacks of non-face-to-face interactions,
and the ways in which technology-based social
work practice can be safely and appropriately
conducted.
27
(e)
Social workers who provide services via electronic
media (such as computer, telephone, radio, and television)
should inform recipients of the limitations and risks
associated with such services.
(m) Social workers should take precautions to ensure and
maintain the confidentiality of information transmitted to
other parties through the use of computers, electronic mail,
facsimile machines, telephones and telephone answering
machines, and other electronic or computer technology.
Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided
whenever possible.
28
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282.2(1) e. The provision of social work services to an
individual in this state through any electronic means,
including the Internet, telephone, or the Iowa
Communications Network or any fiberoptic media,
regardless of the location of the licensee, shall
constitute the practice of social work in the state of
Iowa and shall be subject to regulation in accordance
with Iowa Code chapters 147 and 154C and the
administrative rules of the board. A licensee who
provides services via electronic media shall inform
recipients of the limitations and risks associated with
such services.

Dissemination of Confidential Information



E-mail
Text Messaging
Fax
30
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Attention
You are receiving this message because you have e-mailed a
member of our clinical staff at Wadle and Associates, PC.
Please note our office does not utilize e-mail to exchange
clinical information and any clinical information that needs to
be addressed with your clinician should be done via an office
visit. E-mail sent to our clinical team should not and cannot
be construed as a way to inform a clinician of emergency
requests or information that would need any immediate
attention.
In Case Of Emergencies
You need to contact our office during business hours and ask
for immediate assistance. Our after-hours phone contact
system is available at night and on weekends. For all
emergencies please dial 1-515-270-1344
31
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ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING
Social Networking is defined as the use of the internet and webbased social network sites, and the variations of digital
applications of these sites, to interact and communicate with
groups and individuals who are also using the said social
networking site.
Some examples of these sites are forum sites, blog sites (variations
include WordPress and Blogger.com), Wiki, Facebook, LinkedIn,
MySpace, YouTube, and Twitter.
1) WAPC recognizes that individual participation in online
communication tools, user groups, networking sites, forums and
similar online-based social networking sites has become a popular
way to communicate with family members and friends.


2) WAPC recognizes that these online sites are
inappropriate tools used to communicate, either
accidentally or intentionally, with clients and patients
who are seen by clinicians at Wadle and Associates,
PC.
3) WAPC recognizes that certain social media websites
are helpful for marketing our practice, and that the use
of social media and social network sites should only be
used to advertise and market WAPC-approved
activities that are communicated publicly in a
professional manner.


Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to ensure that
communications related to WAPC in social networking sites are
consistent with all of WAPC’s policies and procedures,
applicable laws, and ethics codes provided by each professional
board of which individual clinicians at WAPC are members.
Policy: All clinical and administrative staff are prohibited from
interacting with their patients and clients on social networking
sites. Social networking sites may be used by WAPC staff
individually, but no non-WAPC-sponsored clinical information
or marketing may be published using an online social network
site that has not been reviewed by WAPC during staff meeting

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
Procedure:
1) It is each WAPC individual’s responsibility to monitor activity on
social networking sites and make any changes necessary to (a) cease all
interaction with their clients online using social networking sites and (b)
omit and cease any non-WAPC sponsored clinical and business content
from social networking sites.
2) Regarding 1.a, once there is no longer interaction with clients and once
any previous interactions with clients have ceased, it is up to the WAPC
individual to appropriately address any client-initiated online interaction:
a. the clinician must not respond using the social networking site
b. the clinician address this appropriately during session or over the
telephone
c. the clinician must cite this policy.
3) Any act of ignoring or avoiding the above policy and procedure will be
considered an example of “behavior that may require a corrective action
plan,” and will be addressed as described in the Corrective Action
Plans/Disciplinary Action Policy.
Question?
Boundaries are the limits that allow for a safe connection
based on the client's needs. When these limits are altered,
what is allowed in the relationship becomes ambiguous.
Such ambiguity is experienced as an intrusion into the
sphere of safety. The pain from a violation is frequently
delayed (and may not occur at all), and the violation may
not be recognized or felt until harmful consequences
emerge.


Informatics is a science that manages and processes data,
transforming it into information to be put into a
knowledge base to guide decisions (Young, 2000).
The components of informatics are data, information,
and knowledge. Each has a specific definition. Data are
defined as variables that can be objectively described,
information is data that are structured into some form, and
knowledge is the interpretation of information within a
logical framework that permits decision making
(Young)


social work informatics
Is a combination of computer science,
information science, and social work designed
to assist in the management and processing of
data, information, and knowledge to support
social work practice.(Oliver&Demiris)

“What an ordinary, reasonable, and prudent
professional with the same or similar training,
would have done under the same or similar
circumstances”
Bruce Buchanan, ACSW, LISW, BCD
Wadle & Associates, PC
2500 82nd Place
Des Moines, Iowa 50322
1-515-270-1344
buchanan@wadle-everest.com