Social Media: A Healthy Balance

The news that social media can damage your health has sparked much debate yet it is ironically the very forums such as Twitter that have propagated discussion on the matter. These sites do enable connections to be made across society and create active publics who can engage in debates more freely. They also make the world a smaller place; it is now possible to chat to people anywhere on the planet with ease, and to find out what’s happening in the world.

Interestingly the responses to the BBC article included many people who are already isolated in society and find solace in social media which enables those with disabilities for example to connect with others; Second Life has proved popular with the disabled community.

However for others it has become a replacement for being sociable, adding another time-consuming layer to our lives. The word ‘social’ is really a paradox - defined as being part of a community rather than being alone, but spending hours on the internet can be a lonely process. I can see how that could be deemed unhealthy.

Nonetheless social media is an inherent part of the future of public relations, particularly as the next generation are early adopters of new technology. Some of the recent public relations successes have used these platforms to reach their key audiences in a medium they understand. Cadbury’s Wispa campaign is a point in case and as PR professionals embrace social media in their campaigns, so too will they need to apply media content analysis to the medium.

So it can be good for business but on a personal level I follow that old mantra – everything in moderation.