1 Dawn Diaz Professor Robert Jolliff Argumentative Essay Good Etiquette on Social Media Social media is likely the most connective tool created since the invention of the internet. This medium has propelled artists, industries, and charities to unimagined levels of success and popularity. In 2014 ‘The Ice Bucket Challenge’ was one of the most effective social media campaigns ever. This was not a strategic marketing technique, it was everyday people harnessing the power of social media to connect and inspire; and it went organically viral on Facebook raising $115 million dollars for the ALS Association (Hoffman 2016). Unfortunately, the same mechanism that has brought positive change and progress to our world, has also given license to opportunists and unsavory characters that profit from or simply just enjoy creating conflict in virtual communities. Some people are either irresponsible or downright malicious when they make provocative comments or posts. Traditionally, this type of behavior would be reprehensible and frowned upon. But what do you say when public figures, celebrities and even The President of the United States are the ones stirring the pot? According to Carolyn Cohn, Chief Editor of Compukol Communications, “Etiquette is defined as a code of behavior within the context of our society” (2017). Cohn says “It is very important to remember that whenever you connect with a social media network, you are joining a community and you need to be sure to treat the people in that community with respect and kindness.” Donald Trump hardly exercises respect towards anyone on his Twitter platform, and certainly does not grant any kindness to the subjects of his daily 2 rants. With this kind of example, we cannot adequately ensure a safe, educational and entertaining environment that will also protect the freedom for people to explore and express themselves authentically and reciprocally on social media. No matter how many how many mechanisms are put in place to flag inappropriate content on social media, the internet is far too vast for etiquette policing. Perhaps this needs to be a developmental skill because our own conscience could be the best barometer to gauge behavior, and peer pressure can serve as an effective consequence and reward system. A New York Times article highlights a series of digital media education focus groups comprised of tweens of all genders from different communities around the country, and uncovered several unspoken rules that perhaps some adults can benefit from. The kids participating in the groups listed these things as the top offenses you should refrain from on social media: bragging, being too sexual, being obnoxious, and making people feel excluded. (Heitner 2017). One comment on the article stated “There is just one overarching rule to follow: Post interesting stuff, but don’t make anyone jealous” The parents of the pre-teens were also surveyed and sadly almost half of them felt their children’s smartphones were a portal into a world they know nothing about. The author says: “We need to set aside our judgements about their world and help them cultivate empathy for one another” Some might argue that there is too much political correctness and sensitivity on social media. At the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland, a panel discussion was held to explore how notions of political correctness are changing around the world, and how this is impacting the capacity of societies to engage in critical conversations. Social media was at the 3 forefront of this discussion as most breaches and enforcement of political correctness occur on this platform. The expert panelists gave courageous candid opinions about political correctness and psychologist Steven Pinker even went as far as to say that political correctness has actually empowered extremists and the alt-right to feel vindicated for their actions since their beliefs have become taboo and there is no acceptable outlet for their point of view (World Economic Forum). Because of political correctness, often when people post on social media they are either walking on eggshells or blatantly attacking someone. There seems to be no happy medium; if you have an opinion about anything, you are bound to offend someone, because there are people who are just looking for something to be offended by. The biggest takeaway from this panel discussion was a consensus that the single most important component that is missing on social media is context. Global Leadership Mentor SoYoung Kang made the powerful claim that social media has spawned a new form of dehumanization; and that the only way to re-humanize ourselves, and our interactions is to be vulnerable enough to not only allow each other to voice unpopular or disturbing convictions, but to truly hear the rationale that would bring someone to that conclusion. When we can honestly understand the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ then we can shamelessly respond with Kang’s unapologetic hashtag #RespectfullyDisagree. The dehumanization epidemic and ‘veil of anonymity’ in social media have conceived a unique and complex species of menace that had been evolving and mutating in cyberspace for 20 years: The Internet Troll. Forensic Psychologist Dr. Michael Nuccitelli is dedicated to the exposure and eradication of internet trolls. According to Nuccitelli the motivations for an 4 Internet Troll’s provocative, and often times, bizarre behaviors are many. Despite the variations in modus operandi, the majority of Trolls are seeking attention, recognition, stimulation, notoriety, or retribution for some perceived injustice (iPredator.co). Dr Nuccitelli says “The Information Age concept of being “connected” is a paradox of disconnection causing us to lose control of our instinctual drives for social cohesion. As our dependency upon social media grows, the less we care for our neighbors and the more we delude ourselves into thinking that online connections are far more valuable than reality based relationships.” And so the question arises: Is social media actually making us anti-social? There are countless instances and scenarios that can make the answer to this question a resounding yes. According to Forbes Magazine, many studies link social media to depression, and feelings of inferiority, but they also don’t rule out the likelihood that that these psychological issues are not caused by social media, but that people try to fill the void and emptiness of their feelings with social media and end up being even more disappointed. As with any addiction, excessive internet use can hijack the pleasure centers in your brain and hook you into wanting more and more, making you feel anxious and stressed when you’re not online. “A central reason that we keep coming back to social media is that we keep thinking it will give us a boost and make us feel better. “ (Walton 2017). It is true is that social media can suck you into a time warp, and uses up time that might otherwise be spent in actual person-to-person socialization. However, most millennials would beg to differ. Brittany Levy of True Voice Media maintains that social media has not altered our communication skills, but rather given us more opportunities to express ourselves and 5 communicate with people that you most likely would not have kept in touch with otherwise, thus providing an evident breakthrough in social interaction (Levy 2015). The reality is that like it or hate it social media is here to stay and it is becoming more unavoidable each day. Another reality is that the benefits of Social Media far outweigh the disadvantages. It gives us instant access to information. It enabled movements like #LoveWins, #MeToo, #GivingTuesday and #BlackLivesMatter to be game changers for society. It has help millions of people to find a long lost relative, find a job, or find the love of their life. It has leveled the playing field for new businesses. We have been able to see faraway places and create connections with people all over the world. We are able to be present at important events no matter where we are physically standing. There are many guides to Etiquette on social media. But in the end it just comes down to common sense and common courtesy. What happens behind closed doors, or behind a keyboard, is impossible to predict and even more so to regulate. The federal government does their best to monitor and flag illegal activity online. Schools and corporations impose an internet code of conduct on their students and employees; and so the etiquette part is up to each family and individual to interpret. The most important thing is to lead by example, think before posting and be cognizant of the impact your actions on social media will have. Follow the golden rules you learned in kindergarten and use social media for social good. 6 Works Cited Hoffman, Kiersten. “5 Most Memorable Social Media Campaigns of All Time” 12 July, 2016 ZiftSolutions.com https://ziftsolutions.com/blog/2016/07/5-memorable-social-mediacampaigns-time/ Accessed 2 March, 2018 Cohn, Carolyn. “Social Media Ethics and Etiquette” Compukol.com, 2017 https://www.compukol.com/social-media-ethics-and-etiquette/ Accessed 28 February, 2018 Heitner, Devorah. “Rules for Social Media, Created by Kids” The New York Times, 5 January, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/well/family/the-unspoken-rules-kids-createfor-instagram.html Accessed 28 February, 2018 World Economic Forum. “Going Rogue: Political Correctness” Youtube, 25 January, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFohRupaXzc Accessed 1 March, 2018 Nuccitelli, Michael. “100 Internet Troll Types” IPredator.co, 2018 https://www.ipredator.co/troll/ Accessed 1 March, 2018 Walton, Alice G. “Social Media May Make You Feel Socially Isolated: Study” Forbes.com, 6 March 2017 https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/03/06/social-media-andsocial-isolation-go-hand-in-hand-but-which-comes-first/#7a515b361785 Accessed 2 March 2018 Levy, Brittany “NO, Social Media is Not Making Us Less Social” True Voice Media, 30 July, 2015 https://truevoicemedia.com/social-media-less-social/ Accessed 2 March 2018
