Yesterday, during a digital in crisis training session with a client, a colleague of mine raised a thought that (I believe) is too often ignored amid all the marketing and PR hype around social media: that being the importance of looking beyond the numbers in order to understand the societal implications of this 'new' media. It begged the questions: Has social media changed how we interact with the people we know (and those we don't know)? And has it altered our expecations and perceptions of others?
This thought struck me even more acutely today for two reasons: one, it coincides with the upcoming launch of a new Facebook app developed on behalf of one of our clients. And two, it coincides with my reading of this.
The essay is entitled: 'Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace', and it is a compelling read. I enjoy Danah's blog immensely, and this self-proclaimed 'blog essay' is no exception.
In it she says: "The division around MySpace and Facebook is just another way in which technology is mirroring societal values... As a society, we have strong class divisions and we project these values onto our kids. MySpace and Facebook seem to be showcasing this division quite well. My hope in writing this out is to point out that many of our assumptions are problematic and the internet often reinforces our views instead of challenging them."
As I read this, I pondered how easy it was, in seeking out solutions to our clients problems, to lose sight of the broader societal implications that arise from the widespread adoption of new technology. Many times we simply validate our ideas based on statistical graphs that show broad-based adoption of specific tools. And then go no further. The question is whether, by not considering such implications, will these unknowns come back to haunt us, and our clients?
Who knows? Although I would argue with Danah's point that: "Marketers have already figured this out - they know who to market to where. Policy creators have figured this out - they know how to control different populations based on where they are networking."
Do we really know this? Perhaps we like to think we do. But in 2007, I'm not sure that stands true.
But at least, like Danah, I feel that there is something good underlying the online evolution taking place today: "Teens are using social network sites to build community and connect with their peers. They are creating publics for socialization. And through it, they are showcasing all of the good, bad, and ugly of today's teen life. Much of it isn't pretty, but it ain't pretty offline either. Still, it makes my heart warm when I see something creative or engaged or reflective. There is good out there too."