Social Media can be a great business tool, social media is highly interactive than traditional media like television advertisement. Social media tools tend to have a low cost and everybody can access or edit published materials.[1] However, there are some unavoidable problems social media could bring us, sensitive information leaks, blemishes on a reputation, and other potential liabilities of a Twittering workforce.[2]
There are different kinds of unethical tweeters, the paid tweeter is celebrities get paid by companies to tweet advertisements. The following example shows how it works, Justin Bieber tweets about 1800flowers which demonstrates celebrity tweets help raise awareness of the brand.[3]
(Source: Brandwatch)
Advertising Standards Authority and the Federal Trade Commission investigate these types of tweets, and celebrities tweet advertisements should incorporate with hashtage “#ad”.[3]
Dutch girl claimed on American Airlines profile and post she’s from Afghan, she’s planning to do something big. The company took it seriously and reported the police, they need to protect the whole society from terrorism.
(Source: Ethical Issues in Twitter)
The girl was been arrested even though for her it is not ethical. For the company action and her arresting are ethical because the whole society is not affected by it.
Fake tweets under President Obama’s name and link Michelle Obama’s frown face tweet in support with kidnapped Nigerian girls, there should set policies for social media.
Gina Poole, vice-president of social software, tells IBM employees to “stay away from controversial topics that aren’t related to your IBM role.” Microsoft and IBM have their own Wiki page, and their employees can edit but need to sign and certify to make sure they account for their behaviours.
Social media is a great platform to marketing, many companies and professional groups have a presence on these sites to provide a peer-to-peer connections, companies up to date information to customers. Inappropriate use of social media not only cause more privacy and ethical problems, but misuse of company resources. Companies need to consider how employees use social media related to company, disclose company conflicts of interest will show individual acting unprofessionally and unethical. Social media is moving forward, companies need to concern related measures accordingly. [words 406]
Reference
1. The ethical challenge of social media, http://www.ibe.org.uk/userassets/briefings/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf
2.Douglas MacMillan, “A Twitter Code of Conduct”, http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/may2009/ca2009058_089205.htm
3. Chelsea Varney,”Celebrity Twitter Endorsements Regulations Allegations and Selling Out “http://www.brandwatch.com/2013/10/celebrity-twitter-endorsements-regulations-allegations-and-selling-out/
4. Jason Lunday, “Managing the Workplace Ethics of Social Media” http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/managing-the-workplace-ethics-of-social-media/
5. Angela Dwyer,”A Brief Analysis of Twitter Ethics in Public Relations”, http://www.commpro.biz/pr-roi/twethics-a-brief-analysis-of-twitter-ethics-in-public-relations/
zling002 
Hello Lingzi, this is an interesting post about the ethics and social media. Thank you for the insight about the paid tweeter. I have never thought about celebrities being paid by companies to help them raise brand awareness. Do you think that it is completely unethical for celebrities to tweet advertisements? What is your stand on this? You have advised about setting policies on social media under the President Obama’s case, is there any example that you can advise them to follow? I do agree with you that inappropriate use of social media will cause more privacy and ethical problems, in your opinion; will you encourage the company to have a standard code of ethics to resolve such issues? In case you are unaware of the standard code of ethics that I am talking about, you might want to refer to this link below for reference.
Click to access CC_Social%20Media%20Code%20of%20Conduct_FINAL.pdf
Great job done on your post! See you soon! 🙂
(P.S. Just wanted to let you know, it’s absolutely fine if you are unable to answer all my questions, I know I have asked quite a bit. It’s just my way of commenting on other people’s blog; do not take it too personally. I hope I’m the one thinking too much here. HAHA. You can comment on mine and ask me questions too. I wish you all the best for the rest of this module! Happy holidays, it’s coming…. :))
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Hi, Wen Hui
Thank you for your comment. 🙂 For celebrities tweet advertisements or paid tweets, like Federal Trade Commission asks any sponsered tweets should add specific hashtag like #spon, #paid etc. I think it’s depends on different people, ethical or not, it is a business model. At very first place, twitter was designed to further real relationship online, trust is build upon our posts. If you are paid to tweet, the motivation should be doubted. For long term, it is still depends on quality of products and may weaken overall value of social media.
As for Identity thift, I think it is unethical to impersonate others. There is a red flag rule supports prevention policy. I think companis have a standard code of ethics could help, employees should distingush the line between personal and professional. Posting anything related with company information should under company permission. Social media is a relative open platform, employees should concern their opinions could affect company’s reputation and their reputation as well.
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