2023 This week s reading discusses social media and some of the concerns that we face using this forum

This week’s reading discusses social media and some of the concerns that we face using this forum:

A major risk associated with the use of social media is the posting of unprofessional content that can reflect unfavorably on HCPs, students, and affiliated institutions. Social media convey information about a person’s personality, values, and priorities, and the first impression generated by this content can be lasting. Perceptions may be based on any of the information featured in a social media profile, such as photos, nicknames, posts, and comments liked or shared, as well as the friends, causes, organizations, games, and media that a person follows (Bernhardt M, Alber J, Gold RS. A social media primer for professionals: digital do’s and don’ts. Health Promot Pract. 2014;15(2):168-172)

I had a real-life experience when I was CEO at a religious affiliated retirement community several years ago.  Facebook had just come on-line and I did not have a presence there.  After my marriage, my daughter created a Facebook presence for me to share my wedding and honeymoon pictures.  We did this and I never thought another thing about it.  She then went on to post her personal pictures on her facebook page tagging me in pictures where I was present.  When she had been a senior in High School, I had taken her on a trip to New York, and we had our pictures taken with the Naked Cowboy on Times Square as a touristy thing to do.  Little did I know that this picture would so inflame my board of directors when it showed up on my facebook page!  From that point on I have asked no persons to tag me in photos without my permission. It was an important lesson to learn and has made me leary of all social media from a professional standpoint.  Have you ever had a similar experience?