Social media is heavily used. Pew Research reports that 76% of internet users use social networking sites. This is huge! We have access to most of people connected to the internet. It is great for marketing, entertainment, and social support.
But what about the downside of this social networking? Are there consequences to using social media as extensively as we do?
Berating Chick-Fil-A
One issue with social media is the possibility for shaming. Using social media to share your opinion and express a level of vulnerability is a chance for backlash. For instance, Adam Smith was a CFO at a medical device manufacturer (fired for his video post) that “berated” a Chick-Fil-A employee at a drive through on camera about homosexuality related controversy.
Here is a commentary that highlights the video and examines the consequences. Obviously there are risks in posting these types of things on social media.
Ridiculing Millennial Parents
Another example is from the cover story in the October 26th issue of TIME magazine (http://time.com/help-my-parents-are-millennials-cover-story/). The article is titled “Help! My Parents are Millennials.” The article highlights millennial parents who utilize social media heavily, posting pictures of kids, parenting solutions, and subjecting themselves to peer ridicule.
The article features a few parents that use Instagram to share their parenting lives. One point in the article says that the benefit of encouragement highly outweighs the risk of shaming for millennial parents utilizing social media.
I am curious what the thoughts are from both the millennial parent and future parent prospective as well as the perspective from the parents of millennials. How do we compare ourselves or make decisions on how to filter our lives on social media? Is ridicule considered in our decisions? I know it is in mine.
