Social Media Ethics

SOCIAL MEDIA ETHICS

Januar y 2013

ETHICS
¡ Moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behavior ¡ Schools of Ethics:
§ Aristotle – holds the virtues are dispositions to act in ways that benefit both the person possessing them and that person’s society § Kant – makes the concept of duty central to morality § Utilitarianism- asserts that guiding principle of conduct should be greatest happiness or benefit of the greatest number.

ETHICS AND INFLUENCE FACTORS
¡ C arrie James
§ Harvard research director on the GoodPlay Project § GoodPlay Project
§ A study on the ethical sensibilities of the digitial youth § Explores:
§ Youth identity § Privacy § Ownership § Authority § Credibility § Participation

GOODPLAY PROJECT RESULTS
¡ Most young people are devoid of ethical thinking or consideration for others when using the web. ¡ Solution Offered:
§ Mentor young people to use social media for social good

THE TRANSFORMATION IN COMMUNICATION BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
¡ People have now become both the producer and consumer of information ¡ News can be shared instantly online before it reaches the television ¡ The judgment of communication is both positively and negatively affected ¡ The value of face-to-face communication is lost ¡ The ability to filter out and choose the type of messages one wants to receive or not

NUMBERS
¡ Nearly 9 out of 10 teens participate with social networking every day, with 70% indicating that they spend an hour or more a day. ¡ The downside:
§ 40% do not consider reactions of college admission officers § 38% do not consider reactions of potential employers § 30% do not consider reactions of their parents

¡ The upside:
§ 51% had used social networking to promote causes § 44% had used social networking to help others § 33% had used social networking to create awareness for a cause

FACTS ON FACEBOOK
¡ 11% of all facebook photos are profile