{"id":2540,"date":"2014-03-22T14:02:34","date_gmt":"2014-03-22T14:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/?p=96"},"modified":"2014-03-22T14:02:34","modified_gmt":"2014-03-22T14:02:34","slug":"uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/2014\/topic-4-2014\/2014\/03\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media-9\/","title":{"rendered":"UOSM2008: Topic 4 Discuss the ethical issues raised by business uses of social media"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size:13px;\">Social media is an umbrella term used to describe interaction through a plethora of online tools including internet forums, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and many more. The IBE (Institute of Business Ethics) notes that \u2018social media exhibits unique characteristics when compared to \u2018traditional\u2019 media forms.\u2019<\/span><a style=\"font-size:13px;\" title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftn1\">[1]<\/a><span style=\"font-size:13px;\"> It differs owing to its speed, and its potential for a global audience. It is free or low cost in comparison to other forms of media and does not require much technical knowledge. It is highly interactive, content can be commented on, contributed to or shared. The IBE states \u2018social media blurs private\/public boundaries\u2019 when \u2018companies make use of social media (originally designed for personal use) for business purposes, and likewise employees access personal sites while at work.\u2019<\/span><a style=\"font-size:13px;\" title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftn2\">[2]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Moreover, \u2018social media poses an ethical challenge for businesses, through employees\u2019 use of social media on behalf of the company, as well as their personal use.\u2019<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftn3\">[3]<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13px;\">Let\u2019s look at the case of HMV Twitter fail.\u00a0<\/span><i style=\"font-family:inherit;font-weight:inherit;\">The Guardian<\/i><span style=\"font-size:13px;\">\u2019s Sam Jones reports \u2018Angry employees \u2018live tweet from HR\u2019 to announce \u2018mass exectution\u2019.<\/span><a style=\"font-size:13px;\" title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftn4\">[4]<\/a><span style=\"font-size:13px;\"> See tweets:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-96\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-97 alignright\" alt=\"HMV Twitter feed\" src=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/hmv-twitter-feed-001-1.jpg?w=214&#038;h=300\"   \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-98 alignright\" alt=\"HMV Twitter feed\" src=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/hmv-twitter-feed-001.jpg?w=184&#038;h=300\" width=\"184\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p><!--more-->All images sourced from <i>The Guardian<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>Sky&#8217;s Niall Paterson and Peter Barrow, Director of Reputation Communications\u00a0on the HMV Twitter fail raising key astute points on the topic &#8211; highly informative and engaging video raising questions &#8211; What are the repercussions? and What does this mean for conventional forms of media?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span class='embed-youtube' style='text-align:center; display: block;'><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text\/html' width='700' height='424' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/T5ew03FHy8g?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;%23038;fs=1&#038;%23038;showsearch=0&#038;%23038;showinfo=1&#038;%23038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;%23038;wmode=transparent' frameborder='0'><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>In addition, Argos, in August 2011 fired an employee \u2018for gross misconduct after he complained about his job on his [personal] Facebook page.\u2019 He did not name the company in his complaint, but Argos maintained that the comments breached their \u2018social networking policy and could \u2018damage the reputation of the company.\u2019<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftn5\">[5]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Social Media Week in Washington DC\u2019s article \u2018To Tweet or Not to Tweet? The use of social media in the workplace raises ethical issues\u2019 infographic reveals<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/questionable-behaviors-accepted-by-social-media-users.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-100 aligncenter\" alt=\"Questionable-Behaviors-Accepted-by-Social-Media-Users\" src=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/questionable-behaviors-accepted-by-social-media-users.png?w=300&#038;h=257\" width=\"300\" height=\"257\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Rachel King highlights the questionable behaviour of ASNs (Active Social Networkers), but simultaneously \u2018raised the issue of the lack of internal communication around policy parameters which could provide guidance to ASNs to effectively do their jobs, engage in a reasonably and responsible manner, and assist in spread the corporate mission through their social media activities.\u2019<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftn6\">[6]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>On hiring, employees immediately become unintended brand ambassadors, therefore, it is of paramount importance that clear social media policies must be established, communicated and upheld. What are your thoughts on negative blogs or tweets about your colleagues and employer?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bibliography<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<hr align=\"left\" size=\"1\" width=\"33%\" \/>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a>Institute of Business Ethics, &#8216;The Ethical Challenges of Social Media&#8217;, Issue 22, December2011,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf\">https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref2\">[2]Institute of Business Ethics, &#8216;The Ethical Challenges of Social Media&#8217;, Issue 22, December2011,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf\">https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref3\">[3]Institute of Business Ethics, &#8216;The Ethical Challenges of Social Media&#8217;, Issue 22, December2011,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf\">https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a>\u00a0Jones, Sam, &#8216;HMV Workers take over official Twitter Feed to vent fury over Sacking&#8217;, The Guardian, 31st January 2013,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2013\/jan\/31\/hmv-workers-twitter-feed-sacking?CMP=twt_gu\">http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2013\/jan\/31\/hmv-workers-twitter-feed-sacking?CMP=twt_gu<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref5\">[5]<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref3\">nstitute of Business Ethics, &#8216;The Ethical Challenges of Social Media&#8217;, Issue 22, December2011,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf\">https:\/\/www.ibe.org.uk\/userassets\/briefings\/ibe_briefing_22_the_ethical_challenges_of_social_media.pdf<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/2014\/03\/22\/uosm2008-topic-4-discuss-the-ethical-issues-raised-by-business-uses-of-social-media\/#_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a>Social Media Week Washington DC,&#8217;To tweet or not to tweet? The use of social media in the workplace raises ethical issues&#8217;, February 16th 2012,\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/socialmediaweek.org\/washingtondc\/2012\/02\/16\/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet-the-use-of-social-media-in-the-workplace-raises-ethical-issues\/#.UydYq-d_sTE\">http:\/\/socialmediaweek.org\/washingtondc\/2012\/02\/16\/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet-the-use-of-social-media-in-the-workplace-raises-ethical-issues\/#.UydYq-d_sTE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/feeds.wordpress.com\/1.0\/gocomments\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/96\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.wordpress.com\/1.0\/comments\/alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com\/96\/\" \/><\/a> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/pixel.wp.com\/b.gif?host=alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com&#038;blog=63619325&#038;%23038;post=96&#038;%23038;subd=alysiawildmanuosm2008&#038;%23038;ref=&#038;%23038;feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Social media is an umbrella term used to describe interaction through a plethora of online tools including internet forums, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and many more. The IBE (Institute of Business Ethics) notes that &lsquo;social media exhibits unique characteristics when compared to &lsquo;traditional&rsquo; media forms.&rsquo;[1] It differs owing to its speed, and its potential&hellip;<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/pixel.wp.com\/b.gif?host=alysiawildmanuosm2008.wordpress.com&amp;blog=63619325&amp;post=96&amp;subd=alysiawildmanuosm2008&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93780,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1032978],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-topic-4-2014","column","threecol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/93780"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/uosm2008\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}