This blog is a tiny part of the phenomenon of 'Social
media'.
Social media of all kinds (especially facebook and twitter) is a tool that connects and informs people and encourages communication and the sharing of opinions. It has grown exponentially and now almost everyone is involved. For those in the church it can be a very effective tool but we need to be aware of the pitfalls. Here are a short list of the benefits and the risks when you get involved.
The good points -
It is instantaneous
You can communicate immediately with a potentially huge number of people. The people who read what you say can pass on your message. Conversations can be had between people who would not otherwise meet in a public arena and these exchanges can be freely observed by others.
It feels personal
I like the comment of a teenager who said "I love my computer because I meet all my friends there." We can be connected to our network where ever we are in the world in a way that feels personal and inclusive. Social media is a tool that can be used to build relationships and community.
It is not preaching at people
Social media enables people to participate, converse, develop ideas and give feedback. At best it is a debating forum where ideas are robustly discussed. Sometimes this is not for the faint hearted but those who enjoy debates in the real world will find many opportunities to discuss areas of interest on line.
The Risks
It is instantaneous
You can communicate immediately with a potentially huge number of people. The people who read what you say can pass on your message. Conversations can be had between people who would not otherwise meet in a public arena and these exchanges can be freely observed by others.
It feels personal
I like the comment of a teenager who said "I love my computer because I meet all my friends there." We can be connected to our network where ever we are in the world in a way that feels personal and inclusive. Social media is a tool that can be used to build relationships and community.
It is not preaching at people
Social media enables people to participate, converse, develop ideas and give feedback. At best it is a debating forum where ideas are robustly discussed. Sometimes this is not for the faint hearted but those who enjoy debates in the real world will find many opportunities to discuss areas of interest on line.
The Risks
It is a public space
Writing an update on facebook can seem like having a conversation with your friends but you are really writing on a billboard in a public hall. If you forget that it is public, you may also start to think that conventions about confidentiality or gossip don't apply. You must think of anything you say on-line as information that you want and are happy for anyone and everyone to hear you say. Before you paste those words on-line imagine what you would feel if they were to appear in a local newspaper with your name alongside.
It can never be totally private
Even if you set your privacy settings to the highest level, so that only your friends can see what you write, you can have no control on what they do with it once it has left your computer. They can freely pass it on. Do you know and trust all your friends enough to be 100% confident that they would never pass on something. Have you ever shared something without asking the person who sent it to you if you may? When dealing with social media you must think of everything as public.
It is considered publishing in law
The law of the land that applies to libel, copyright, freedom of information and data protection apply on line just as in any other form of publishing.
Your words will be there forever
If you have second thoughts about something you have written on- line and delete it soon after, you may be too late. It could have already been shared and may well be stored forever in various places in cyberspace.
What is public and what is private?
There is a blurring of the boundary between public and private space. It is no longer as clear as it once was. If you have a job such as a minister are you writing something in the name of the organisation you are seen to represent or are you writing in a wholly personal capacity. If you say things that offend your employers policies, will you be disciplined? In a church context the personal opinions of church workers may be taken to represent the church. Clergy have been advised to use separate social media account for public ministry and a separate profile for their private life. This is a difficult area as for many of us our public life and private life merge in a vocation that involves all we do.
Even if you set your privacy settings to the highest level, so that only your friends can see what you write, you can have no control on what they do with it once it has left your computer. They can freely pass it on. Do you know and trust all your friends enough to be 100% confident that they would never pass on something. Have you ever shared something without asking the person who sent it to you if you may? When dealing with social media you must think of everything as public.
It is considered publishing in law
The law of the land that applies to libel, copyright, freedom of information and data protection apply on line just as in any other form of publishing.
Your words will be there forever
If you have second thoughts about something you have written on- line and delete it soon after, you may be too late. It could have already been shared and may well be stored forever in various places in cyberspace.
What is public and what is private?
There is a blurring of the boundary between public and private space. It is no longer as clear as it once was. If you have a job such as a minister are you writing something in the name of the organisation you are seen to represent or are you writing in a wholly personal capacity. If you say things that offend your employers policies, will you be disciplined? In a church context the personal opinions of church workers may be taken to represent the church. Clergy have been advised to use separate social media account for public ministry and a separate profile for their private life. This is a difficult area as for many of us our public life and private life merge in a vocation that involves all we do.
The most important thing is to look at what you have written, think twice and then think again. If you have any doubts DON'T POST.
Image courtesy of jannoon028 /FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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