The increase usage of social media channels has caused great concerns about ethical usage and issues that has been faced by customer behaviour and business conduct professionals. The problem which need to be faced is the dual usage of channels i.e. for doing business and the ethical dilemma situation under which organization has to save the face and their skin. However the business entrepreneur focus on the positive side of the social media usage. Yet there are changes that any negative news related to their business will affect the review even the new is fake or competitor technique to hit the sales revenue. There are some industry norms for using the social media which need to review while avoiding any ethical issues(Henderson et al., 2013)
In the 1st phase, the business need to assign the target audience for advertise and research. These target audience are filtered based on the business requirements. Thu raising concern regarding non-including of certain users which raises the privacy concern along with ethical question. Organisations scuffle among realising possible and the privacy issues while technology allows for new possibilities. In such cases, business balances the data driven situation by respecting the individual rights of privacy and data protection under laws such as General Data Protection Regulation.
Openness and trust shall be consider as main factor while considering the socialization of consumer while using social media platforms. Such factors has been consider in order to avoid any type of mixing engagement. For instance, any marketing campaigns run by the business shall address the informational products rather than any ethical matter that shall not be discussed. In these situation, company may be faced by ethical authority investigations where severe charges can be imposed based on privacy theft and breach of self-ethical boundry(Samuel & Buchanan, 2020).
Ethical dilemma situatin also arrives when organization received negative comments from different social medials depending upon the customer experience. Here dilemma situation is between the promotion business at facebook, Instagram or linkedin and actual quality of the products /services offered (Michaelidou & Micevski, 2019)
Ethical Dilemmas Situation in Business Social Media
Considering the powerful equilibrium situation between profit making business and fulfilling social responsibilities. Organization are now more worries about handling the situation in which win-win situation can be opted for the implementation of strategic goal of dealing with social media. It is very important to keep the stakeholder well satisfied by addressing their concerns of interest. Same mechanism of handling need to be adopting while deadline with relevant stakeholder depending upon power and risk stakeholder has
Similar situation occur when multination firms has to respond to the community critic while using the social media marketing post and campaign have stated their disparaging statements. Organization take advance of the grey areas in the regulation and respond to the queries of community. Sometime situation turn positive or visa-versa depending upon the scenario prevails. Now it is the organization which strike mechanism of risk management, customer grievance and customer/stakeholder to address their concern keeping in view the risk /power prevails(Dhiman, 2023)
Coming to the section of staff using the social media, such time of accounts are no harm unless any office post or information is being passed for public use. Such type of act usually use to leak out the new from organization that harms the organization reputation. For such purpose it is recommended to prepare predefine standards for using social media accounts. Training guide such as employee personal behaviour and confidentially must be required to be address (Militello et al., 2021)
Crisis management. To avoid damaging this image while yet meeting the needs of stakeholders, being transparent, and being held accountable, careful ethical consideration and strategic decision-making are required. One of the most important aspects of crisis management is upholding ethical standards while ensuring the safety of everyone involved.
Applicability to Degree Emphasis
Researching moral dilemmas within the framework of business social media ethics is very relevant and fitting for as a student enrolled. By drawing on the interdisciplinary nature and providing opportunities for critical analysis and reflection, this course offers fresh perspectives on the ethical frameworks that regulate online communication, marketing strategies, and organizational behaviour.
Advancement in future career
In my current or future position, I stand to gain in a variety of ways by expanding my understanding of the following areas of corporate social media ethics:
With reference to Improved Abilities for Making Decisions, aligning plans with moral principles, legal standards, and company values becomes simpler with a thorough understanding of the ethical implications of social media. This, in turn, encourages better-informed decision-making. Business administration, public relations, corporate communications, and marketing are just a few of the many fields that greatly benefit from this skill(Dolinsky & Helbig, 2015)
Establishing and Maintaining Trust and Reputation, by skilfully addressing ethical dilemmas, I can help digital businesses build and maintain their reputations. Maintaining ethical standards is essential for building healthy relationships with stakeholders like as customers, employees, and investors. This is because doing so fosters trust, transparency, and authenticity.
Risk Management, Proactive risk management is made possible by identifying and resolving potential ethical issues with social media activity. This lowers the likelihood of reputational damage and associated legal obligations. An essential component of ethical risk management is identifying, evaluating, and mitigating the risks related to digital marketing and communication tactics. This meets the demands of those who have a financial or other stake in the firm and protects the interests of the company.
Engaging with Stakeholder, Behaving morally on social media promotes more productive interactions with stakeholders, which fosters the growth of respect, cooperation, and mutual trust. Businesses may improve their connections with stakeholders including customers, staff, investors, and the community at large when they give ethical issues top priority. This might lead to an improvement in the company’s performance, resilience, and long-term sustainability
the complex and multifaceted nature of the ethical issues and challenges that arise when talking about corporate social media ethics calls for careful investigation, critical thinking, and moral reflection. Given that you are a student and will eventually become a professional, looking into these challenges gives priceless chances for professional and personal growth. I can support the ethical and responsible use of technology in business settings by conducting myself online in accordance with generally acknowledged moral norms. The chance to promote ethical leadership in the digital age, long-term company development, and good social impact excites me
References
- Dhiman, Dr. B. (2023). Ethical issues and challenges in social media: A current scenario. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4406610
- Dolinsky, H. R., & Helbig, N. (2015). Risky business: Applying ethical standards to social media use with vulnerable populations. Advances in Social Work, 16(1), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.18060/18133
- Henderson, M., Johnson, N. F., & Auld, G. (2013). Silences of Ethical Practice: Dilemmas for researchers using social media. Educational Research and Evaluation, 19(6), 546–560. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2013.805656
- Michaelidou, N., & Micevski, M. (2019). Consumers’ ethical perceptions of social media analytics practices: Risks, benefits and potential outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 104, 576–586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.008
- Militello, M., Yang, R. A., Anderson, J. B., Szeto, M. D., Presley, C. L., & Laughter, M. R. (2021). Social Media and ethical challenges for the dermatologist. Current Dermatology Reports, 10(4), 120–127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13671-021-00340-7
- Samuel, G., & Buchanan, E. (2020). Guest editorial: Ethical Issues in Social Media Research. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 15(1–2), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1556264619901215
