Using social media for good

I thought it was time to share my thoughts on what appears to have become a rather prickly subject: social media. I am active on Twitter but—with the exception of a voyeuristic (watch but don't post) Instagram account—it is my only social media presence, both personally and professionally.

Growing up and during my early career, social media was nowhere to be seen. Public messaging was achieved by newspapers, broadcasters or a loud auntie shouting down the street! As the magical World Wide Web developed, so did our options, and as we got to grips with Friends Reunited, MSN Messenger and the concept of online forums, so began a dramatic change in how we view each other, the world, and of course our profession.

Personally, I was sceptical and somewhat nervous. I chose not to get too involved with social media, instead waiting to see how things unfolded. There have been some amazing advantages, empowering us to communicate more freely: support groups, forums, the ability to reach out to kindred spirits and, of course, instant communication with friends and family who are spread far and wide. But it saddens me that we have common terms such as revenge porn, cyber bullying, cyber crime and online grooming.