Watch the video and identify five (5) examples of ‘shifts’ or trends that can have an impact on how individuals behave as a digital citizens. Then outline (in around 400 words) how you believe these behaviours can impact on the need for, and development of, information policy in organisations to address these behaviours. You may wish to explore these from either a user/customer perspective or employee/employer perspective, or a combination of both, and you may wish to consider this task within the specific context of your own library and/or organisation, or you can address this task in general terms.

From watching the video “Digital Transformation”, I had identified 5 examples of trends that can have an impact on how individuals behave as a digital citizen, which consists of:

• Receiving news from Social Media
• Buying decision is influenced by social media
• More people own a mobile device
• Online dating
• Online shopping

By identifying these 5 examples of trends which I believe will influence and impact the development of information policy in organisations to address these behaviours, I noticed these developing trends have significantly highlighted the way we use to engage with people and business, and accessing information since the social media platforms are available, such as receiving the latest news from news media through Facebook, access information regarding a product or services we are interested in and experience it virtually, access to services remotely and meeting people who are beyond reach. As for organisation, I noticed social media platforms had been adopted in promoting their service and product to their target audience, establish a positive image of the brand and influence the audience over our buying decision. Also, the use of social media and web 2.0 technologies in engaging people can enhance the popularity of the organisation as Coles (2018) state “more people will get to know the business or brand exists when an organisation has use online channels to create social influence among people”.

From exploring the 5 examples I had identified from the video, I noticed the existent of social networking and its developing trends had influenced a major change to the way we access information and engage with others, such as the adoption of digital technologies in shopping, receiving information about a product or service, and the way we maintain a relationship with people. But from these upsides of social media, there’s also some downside that can impact social media in delivering information to the target audience, such as using inappropriate language and material in the post which can possibly result in offending the user. To ensure the content being published in social media is appropriate, lots of organisations have created a social media policy to provide a clear guideline containing information regarding the use of social media to engage with the clients, which addressing the organisation’s expectations, information access right and staff’s responsibility when using the social media (Hebblewhite, 2017), also instructing what type of behaviour staff should practice when they are using social media when engaging with the clients.

References

Coles, L. (2018). Social media for business : foolproof tips to help you promote your business or your brand. John Wiley & Sons.

Hebblewhite, N. (2017). Implementing an effective social media policy. Governance directions, 69(3), 167-169.