Anti-social media

I spent yesterday afternoon discussing with a client their first foray into social media. The crux of the discussion was that to be a leader and be perceived as a leader, the company had to embody innovation yet - as a business - what was actually appropriate? And should the company executives bring their own personalities and views online, or be a rather more cautious voice for the corporation?

I know which answer I would go with for the latter question, but then I never claim that my personal views are those of the company I work for, or my best professional advice! If you are such an industry personality that people will assume you are representing your organisation then it's a different ball game.

As I see it, social media is in danger of shooting itself in the foot here. It's like the idiom that the psychology of a crowd differs significantly from the psychology of individuals with it - at the extreme: mob mentality. So consider a blog - Dubai Media Observer for example - that conveys the (anonymous) views of one person, who sets himself up to be outwitted by the next (anonymous) person, out-bitched by the third (anonymous) person, criticised by the (anonymous) fourth...and so it goes on. A rational voice is a dull one indeed, so the blog follows a steady downward spiral and mob mentality takes over.

Given a free reign and anonymity to hide behind, there is no reason for commentators to take responsibility or be asked to justify themselves. Anything goes. Fair enough, the credibility of such blogs is quite rightly limited and they can be entertaining reading. But does everyone know not to take them seriously or can they do serious reputational damage? For a company or individual that wants to engage in the wonder and revolution that social media can be...it's a bit of a dampener on spirits.

So I say, if it wants to avoid regulation or have any sort of shelf life then 'social media' as a whole needs to grow up fast. If you have a good point, put your name to it otherwise keep it to yourself. In an environment where offline manners and respect also apply online, we will find ourselves rewarded with much more interesting content, contribution and interaction from genuine experts, interesting people and individuals with something of value to say.