International Social Media Day and its Responsible Use

However, we believe that it is also necessary to talk about our responsibility within social networks as creators and consumers of information. You might have asked yourself how to create and make visible a responsible image of your company in networks. In this post we answer all of your questions. 

Break the misinformation cycle

One thing at a time. Have you ever wondered how would you inform yourself without social media? Perhaps you would turn to browsers like Google or Yahoo; those who prefer traditional solutions, would make a visit to the newsstands. So, what is the difference between these media and social media? In social networks we play two roles as users: consumers and producers of information. This certainly has positive side, but also a dark side: information is not always truthful and spreads faster than light. 

● Do not believe everything you see in social media: No matter how surprising news may seem, do not believe them right away. Consider that in today’s world anyone has access to networks and can post whatever they want. So, stay calm and go to the next step.

● Verify the source: Before considering any information as true and rushing to give your opinion about it or share it, consult the source. You have to consider if it is a recognized source or an official site. Generally, fake news tend to be poorly written, with misspellings and, if they have photographs, they are often of poor quality. Take care of your image and stay away from fake news.

● Provide truthful information: Your copy is your cover letter, hence it must contain valuable and truthful information. If you are going to offer data to support your ideas, verify its veracity and cite the site from which you obtained the information. Few things could severely damage a brand’s image like giving or spreading false information.

If you want to go further, we recommend you do fact checking, that is, to contrast what is said with facts and data. It is actually a movement that began in 2003 with factcheck.org and, in Mexico, started seriously a little later —you might remember Verificado MX after the 19S earthquake in 2017. Today there are some very laudable projects that bet on taking the fact checking with the responsibility it deserves, such as El Sabueso de Animal Político, which is a discourse verification project that analyzes information and denies fake news; it has an extremely friendly interface where they explain their fact checking methodology and how it catalogues fake news. 

Social networks offer an effective means of communication, but unfortunately, they have also become the favorite place of the people who use personal data for profit. Hence, you should be careful with the personal data of your followers. For example, avoid asking them to post any personal data in your publications. Take care of your clients' contacts by handling everything by private message. Also, do not forget the importance of having the permissions you provide to social media applications under control, read carefully all the terms and conditions and protect your information. 

Enrich your image as a responsible brand when it comes to handling information and personal data. Social networks are a wonderful tool that offers us the opportunity of fast and entertaining communication and generate clients and positioning, but they must be used responsibly to reap all their benefits with the least possible risk.