How does social media engage communications?
Community engagement can be defined as an engagement that brings people together who share the same interest. Social Media engagement can be seen when people create and share their content with others. This content can be photos, videos, or posts. In social media, people can also share helpful information and news about what is happening worldwide. It can provide an analytic tool to engage with others. Thus, social media is both for and by the public (New Vision for Public Medi, 2011)
Social Media Challenge Communications
There are some social media challenges, such as information overload. Great information about the same topic can make it challenging to find accurate information. Many individuals post information about the same topic, but some information can be misleading because it can be based on personal opinion rather than research-based. This can cause challenges in communication as it is difficult to find what you are looking for. Other social media challenges can be if social media is not checked regularly for any discrimination or hate speech; it can lead to inclusivity and negatively affect the communication on that social media.
Thus, it is essential to have policies about the expectation of employers’ social media communication. This includes expecting the employees to maintain high professionalism when they need appropriate language or content on social media, as these employees represent this organization even outside the workplace. A friend of mine was volunteering with Lebonan Red Cross, where volunteers were asked to stay away from politics on their social media platform as this affects the work environment between employees in one way or another.
Personal Learning Network (PLN) can be built using social media. This can be achieved by identifying influencers and communicators in the field of interest. In my case, it is the pharmaceutical industry, specifically drug maintenance. Following influences in this field will allow me to gain valuable insight related to the pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, commenting and participating in live discussions run by influencers in this field will allow me to engage, share my thoughts, and ask questions, thus expanding my network.
My PLN amplifies the views of others.
Although I have not started a PLN yet, I want my PLN to amplify the views of others. My PLN should be based on sharing and exchanging knowledge with individuals with similar interests. This knowledge can be from articles or other ways I have yet to be exposed to. This will expand my perspective on the topic and allow me to build my PLN.
References
Picture: https://medium.com/changelab-solutions/equitable-community-engagement-34d2542f68fd
Clark, J., Aufderheide, P. (2011). A New Vision for Public Media. In: Jansen, S.C., Pooley, J., Taub-Pervizpour, L. (eds) Media and Social Justice. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230119796_5
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