As we all know too well, most interactions and communication nowadays can take place solely online through the wide variety of social networks and the audience that it brings individuals into contact with.
However, what may not be taken into consideration is the role ethics plays with online sharing and communication. As we have been attempting in class, putting ethics into consideration and practice while using social media platforms is no easy and straightforward task. This is due largely to the fact that social media allows anyone to share basically anything they like, with or without the consideration of the viewpoints of others.
Ethics, by definition, is the concept of what is good and bad, or, right and wrong. In social media, the right ethical behavior is up for debate in what that particularly pertains to. While there isn't a set way of what is right and wrong in the online world, most people have an in-place model of behavior that they automatically bestow onto their media activity. However, for one person, something could be viewed as ethical, while to another individual, it isn't. An example of this would be an Instagram beauty page.
For some, they see a naturally beautiful woman plastering her face with expensive products and advertising various brands in order to force the idea that people can only be beautiful if they wear makeup. Many would question if showing a fake definition of beauty is ethical, but then, on the opposite side of the spectrum, you have individuals that would find beauty in expressing their skills and appreciation of makeup and choose to use social media as a way to spread their message of beauty and care of certain brands. A better example of this would be something like this:
Here, she's taking on a more artful approach and is simply having fun as she applies her makeup. Yes, she's also advertising the makeup she used but it's more of a guide for those who would wish to copy her look. So in this instance, would the woman be ethical for expressing her makeup skills in a more artistic way? The fine line separating the two is almost nonexistent for many.
Finding a beauty page on any social media platform is not a hard task. These 'beauty gurus' are a massive community and can easily be found with a few clicks of a button, or even check whatever video is trending lately as there is always someone posting the latest beauty trick. So, it brings the question if these beauty pages are ethical or not.This same effect can be seen in workout pages, or even foodie blogs, to name a few.
As many individuals believe, social media can be pervasive in our culture. Most view these online platforms as something that brings damage not only to people's mental health but to society as a whole as well. Social media harbors trolls and spreads misinformation. In the case of the makeup Instagram page, you could scroll through the woman's comments and find many that would be supporting her while there would also be some trying to diminish her physical portrayal.
Through social media platforms, the right ethical post can be a tricky component as you must provide something that has a perspective and message that can be approached appropriately and be allowed to engage with people in the right manner. It is completely ethical to use social media sites in order to spread a positive message but what defines 'positive' is where the lines get blurred and not as defined.
So is social media an easy platform to bestow ethics on? No. Really because what is ethical will vary from person to person and it is up to the individual what their standpoint. It is up to the individual themselves to follow the pages that they like
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