Maintaining appropriate use of social media is becoming increasingly important to market oneself to a professional and/or academic audience. I recently spoke with Elisha Brewer, a track and field coach at the University of Pittsburgh. When I asked what she looks for in the recruiting process, she mentioned that she always takes a glance at their social media to see if they are “a good fit” for the University. Elisha’s response was a reflection of a shift in the professional and academic tide—a shift towards digital citizenship and face. Social media is an extension of the user, so maintaining an ethical, appropriate presence is important.
As social media use has increased astronomically in recent years, so has misuse. Karen Freberg considers ethics and social media in her essay, “Ethical and Legal Fundamentals in Social Media.” In it, she defined ethics as “a set of moral guidelines and principles that influence our behaviors and interactions” (Freberg 31). So, how does this relate to social media? Freberg lists what she considers the “deadly sins of social media:” misappropriation, abandonment, manipulation, ignorance, monotony, narcissism, and uniformity. The bottom line of these sins is to be authentic, keep your content interesting and diverse, and be appropriate by following platform guidelines and social norms.
I use a combination of Elisha’s advice and avoidance of the social media sins in my own platform use. Facebook and Twitter are the two I have linked to this website, though my usage extends beyond those. My Facebook account is used primarily for more professionally oriented content: work updates, academic interests, and minor political interests. I use Twitter to show more of my personality and history. Twitter has more margin for humor than Facebook; I take full advantage of this atmosphere in my posts. I mention some of my childhood experiences that have shaped my professional interests. My audience is invited to relate to these experiences. As a rule of thumb, I avoid posting anything I would not feel comfortable showing to my friends and especially family. This rule ensures that the content I post is appropriate.
My personal social media use differs a bit from my professional; however, the same rules apply to both accounts. The two platforms I use most for personal use are Instagram and Tik Tok and I often find myself caught in the trap of endlessly scrolling. For me, the appeal of Tik Tok is that users can create short-form video content, meaning I have the freedom record and edit media--a task in which I am growing to love. I have never taken a social media break, though I'm at the point where deleting the apps is a daily internal conflict.
The most important rule I follow is the digital footprint rule; a digital footprint never truly goes away, and professionals have the facilities to investigate into it. I even go so far as to not “like” any content that does not suit the public facing persona I hope to convey. That said, social media is still a channel to have fun and be whimsical; it is important to not take anything too seriously.
References:
Freberg, Karen. (2018). Ethical and Legal Fundamentals in Social Media. Social Media for Strategic Communication: Creative Strategies and Research-Based Applications (pp. 27-45). SAGE Publications, Inc.