Social media has come a very long way in a relatively short space of time – for the better and for the worse. Various developments in social technology have given people and businesses some amazing capabilities, but it has also raised some serious issues which can be all too easily undermined.

There’s a vast amount of misinformation out there which is readily available and believable, so we’ve decided to summarise 3 key topics which relate to 3 captivating documentaries over the last few years – where industry experts have shared their thoughts and startling insights. Let’s begin…

1. How your online activity is being used

Firstly there was a documentary called ‘The Great Hack’ in 2019. It was an eye-opener to say the least. Whilst people have a general sense of how their online activity is being monitored, the true extent to which everything is traced becomes quite a shock. All of your interactions – contactless, web searches, locations, likes, etc…..

“they are all collected in real time into a trillion dollar a year industry” ($1,000,000,000,000!!)

Cambridge Analytica was at the centre of this controversy, working for the Trump campaign among others and claiming to have 5,000 data points on every American voter.

They took your data, then they took control

Here’s the trailer:

We know that companies purchase data and insights in order to give customers more of what they want, and less of what they don’t want. But there is a line which can be crossed, particularly when there are ulterior motives at play. For some businesses, it wasn’t just about offering personalised experiences (what the customer wants) but about manipulation (what the corporate ‘big wigs’ and political titans want).

2. The consequences of our dependence on social media

Next there was ‘The Social Dilemma’ in 2020. The points raised are quite shocking, but not that surprising…

The technology that connects us, also controls us

Here’s the trailer:

Stratagem Director, Tom Rae, had the following to say:

Through volunteering as an Enterprise Adviser, my key message to schools, colleges and universities has always been that we should try to use web / social media channels productively, not obsessively; and think about the quality over quantity of time spent using them on a daily basis.

In my view, the pandemic has shone a spotlight on our level of dependence and obsession over these platforms – both on a personal and professional level. We seem to have forgotten the value of what it means to approach “everything in moderation, even moderation“.

3. Influencers – not everything is what it seems

Finally, ‘Fake Famous’ in 2021 is the latest reality check about social media and so-called influencers portraying an image of ‘fake’ success (purchasing artificial likes, friends/followers & comments) in their hope to achieve ‘real’ success.

And yet despite [some] businesses knowing the extent of this charade, investment remains at an all-time high because – quite simply – it’s profitable.

Here’s the trailer:

We sometimes have to wonder what happened to the value of authenticity and the importance of mental health which we thought were priorities for all businesses, particularly in the wake of Covid-19.

Final thought

For companies and their employees, navigating through the social media minefield doesn’t need to be such a risky business. These networks aren’t the threat we sometimes fear them to be, as long as we use them responsibly. For example, when creating content does it take into account any of the following factors?

  • the subject matter is relatable
  • the visuals are eye-catching
  • the tone is empathetic and humble
  • the information is transparent

You can get in touch to discuss your current approach or future plans and we’d be more than happy to help!