OLJ task 1: Social Media and Society – Journal Article Analysis
Access this journal, Social Media and Society, and read one article from the current issue that appeals to your interests. In a blog post, provide a brief description and an analysis of the article of your choice. Do you agree with the authors? If not – why not? (350-400 words).
Word count: 382
Description and Analysis: Using social media networks to engage men in conversations on masculinity and suicide: Content analysis of Man Up Facebook campaign data.
This article used content analysis on social media responses to determine the impact of Facebook’s ‘Man Up’ campaign, encouraging men to speak up about their emotional health and wellbeing. The research was carried out as the program was being released as a three-part television series and onto social media. The authors collected posts and comments of people’s reactions to investigate the responses being voiced. The authors of this paper helped design the program and were attempting to determine whether social media can be used as part of health campaigns to open dialogue and awareness about complex social and mental health issues and potentially change attitudes.
Schlichthorst, King, Phelps and Pirkis (2019) predicted that ‘A population-based multi-level health promotion intervention that takes advantage of a variety of communication channels… is expected to be most effective’. Their use of social media as a second, but equally important platform in their campaign allowed space for conversations to start up following the television release. They recognised that, after such a potentially uncomfortable, relevant and often taboo subject being aired, the public required a safe space in which to share their opinions, stories and feelings. Luckily, most of social media responded positively to both the campaign and the responses of others to it. I think this was a clever way of reaching an increasingly tech-savvy audience and supporting their original release material. Additionally, by establishing this campaign in social media domains, they have allowed viewers to access and respond to the information presented at their own time and pace.
The authors examined ‘masculine norms’ and stereotypes common to most Western areas, resolving that, perhaps, we should be more open minded and broaden our narrow definition of ‘masculinity’. By addressing these ‘norms’ directly, they asked viewers to question their own, often ingrained beliefs and broaden their own expectations. They started conversations about ‘masculinity’ and what it is to be ‘a man’ in todays world.
Schlichthorst et. al. (2019) also discussed the benefits of information and health sharing on social media, explaining that visible conversations happening resulted in expanded ‘conversation circles’ and more information getting out there. Notably, they recognised that social media has the potential for harm as well as good but shared positive facts, reiterating that social media has also helped combat feelings of suicide and stigma.
References
Schlichthorst , M., King, K., Phelps, A. & Pirkis, J. (2019) Using social media networks to engage men in conversations on masculinity and suicide: Content analysis of Man Up Facebook campaign data. Social media & society, Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119880019
