Author: Amy Rose

In today’s current digital age, social networking has become a fundamental part of our lives as both individuals and organisations alike for online communication, information access, and the ability to forge connections worldwide while never moving.

 

My views on social media have always been somewhat biased with my own personal experiences being that of seeing way too much ‘influencer’ content along with weird mums posting weird minion memes about coffee, kids, going crazy, or all three. I have kept the time I spend on social media fairly low leading to my unawareness of the sheer size and influence these platforms have cultivated.

 

Social networking and beyond

 

Upon reviewing that my social media knowledge and experiences are quite limited and unaware of the full magnitude and weight these platforms carry in society, I have now realised there is so much more potential for platforms to be embraced with various strategies and ideas. As our social networking abilities evolve with new technologies and capabilities, so do the ways in which they can support and grow marketing strategies, programs, and further services in a library setting.

 

With my exploration of social networking for an organisation with regards to marketing and engagement with audiences, I now can understand the thinking and skills behind carefully planned posts, trends, and involvement online that can result in impressive benefits and further connections beyond those formed only in a traditional way in person and through word of mouth.

 

Social Media Platforms

 

For this class, I have become well acquainted with various social media platforms in the hopes of developing my skills and knowledge of using them in an information professional setting.

 

Facebook

Facebook is embarrassingly enough the platform I am most familiar with as I primarily use it as one of my main forms of communication online. Facebook is one of the largest platforms to date with around 2.93 billion monthly active users and is the third most visited website in the world, only falling behind Google and YouTube (Newberry, 2023). This has made the platform one of the most valuable tools an organisation can utilise to engage and market to their audience and have a much wider reach than with traditional methods of networking in physical locations.

 

Instagram

While completing this course, I decided for research purposes for Assessment 1, I created an Instagram account. I’ve not been completely living under a rock, and I’ve had an account before, I just knew if I had yet another social media app on my phone, any productivity I thought I had would immediately go down the drain. As suspected, I was immediately drawn into watching hundreds of reels, posts, and recommended content I suddenly decided was more important than my studies. What can make this platform beneficial to an organisation is the ability it has to interact with a younger demographic that doesn’t typically interact with libraries digitally (Zote, 2023).

 

TikTok

TikTok is one of the more controversial and unfamiliar social media platforms that has become an overnight sensation among young people as it continues to grow its reach and audience. This platform’s success could be associated with its supposed ‘flipping of the script’ as it heavily promotes the virality of content as well as utilising an AI algorithm to guarantee users receive preferred content that is short, sweet, and immediately locks you in with hours of content easily accessible (Taulli, 2020). Being that this platform is new to social networking strategies, there is great hesitance to use it with the growing security concerns in the United States which is now slowly influencing more places around the world.

 

Twitter

Twitter is somewhat of a minefield these days with its rapidly changing online environment with the new ownership being given to Elon Musk. I can’t say I interacted much with this platform, but for the sake of Assessment 1, I investigated the two libraries I had chosen. One organisation had let its Twitter account essentially fall off and did not post regularly, while the other kept up regularly but had the lowest engagement with its audience. Beyond this with the radical changes being made and how its engagement hasn’t quite proven itself useful to an organisation, I believe this platform can almost be left behind with its limited use and a prospectively small audience.

 

YouTube

YouTube is one of my favourite platforms to spend time on for entertainment, but I hadn’t given much thought to it being utilised for engagement and marketing for an organisation. But, as I investigated library content from my two chosen organisations for Assessment 1 and further libraries taking advantage of the page, I began to see its many uses of online programs and further how-to’s for services users were exploring from home and elsewhere. The chances of an audience just happening upon this content can be small, but its usefulness can be beyond belief when used creatively.

 

Impact of the social environment

 

Now as fun as it has been to explore the expansive environment online, there are some undeniable consequences that come with this new digital social space.

 

Fake news and extreme ideologies

Not just coined as a term Donald Trump uses to argue with just about anybody, fake news is an epidemic we are all stuck in online as more and more false information is being shared and posted across platforms. With the sheer speed of things travelling across internet platforms, misleading and untrue news can circulate and explode online, and it can take a ridiculous amount of time to rectify and promote the correct information. This has been a growing trend online with the sheer amount of information being shared online, with no real countermeasure to combat it, other than to remain vigilant and wary when looking at information online.

 

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has been steadily increasing as our growing reliance on social media interaction has created an environment that can become malicious and nasty and can have heartbreaking outcomes. Bullying behaviour in some form has always played a role in society with stronger people preying upon those they consider weak and vulnerable, but with an online environment, it has now become widespread. With these digital advantages, it has been harder to resolve and stop these instances, where all we can do is to make sure to spend time away from social platforms and have people around us who are there to support and love us.

 

Internet addiction

Almost everything we need and want to do these days is online, but with this dependence can come an addiction that is hard to break. Many of us spend plenty of time on the internet browsing social posts, videos and googling plenty of things daily, being something we see as harmless, but when it comes to an internet addiction it is the case where someone spends so much time online it begins to interfere with their daily lives and beyond (Hoeg et al, 2023). This kind of disorder can become damaging to just about anyone as this can lead to a loss of job, relationship troubles, and health issues such as insomnia and vision problems. Only monitoring time online and practising safe and healthy routines of eating, sleeping, and mental health can help with the management of internet habits.

 

Privacy and security

Finally, privacy and security are one of the more pressing issues that come with the growth of online environments and platforms that many of us spend a substantial amount of time on. As we become more immersed in our online environments, we can become more susceptible to data breaches, identity theft, and online scams. Additionally, many companies online have adopted the practice of collecting and selling user data without proper consent which presents their own set of ethical dilemmas.

 

 

My Online Learning Journal

 

Attempting to make regular postings to my Online Learning Journal (OLJ) proved to be quite the task, as I have now found I am horrible at keeping up to date with my learning and creating a schedule I could persist with. It was daunting to create and make posts to be seen by classmates as I don’t rate my work very highly and found once I had something written down, I wanted to restart and throw away all the effort I had already put into it.

 

Eventually, I tried to find a middle ground where I attempted my blog posts semi-regularly, but instead of making the posts public, I kept editing and changing my posts in a Word document in hopes I stayed on top of my work while still having the ability to redo and continue working at my own pace. On top of this, I browsed my fellow classmates’ blogs for inspiration but began to feel like my own ideas and information originated from similar posts so I tried to read less to protect my integrity while I worked on them. It’s safe to say blogging is not one of my hidden talents, but I found the prompts and content I was reading and writing about to be significant and meaningful to the trends and changes around us today.

 

Assessment 1

 

Assessment 1 was quite plainly a project I found exciting and yet daunting with the content and freedom to explore platforms I believed to be best for a library organisation to utilise. It was extremely useful when it came to exploring and developing my knowledge of social networking as well as understanding its uses from an organisation’s perspective. It took me some time to realise the sheer amount of work and research I had to do, and I soon found I worked better under stress and a fast-approaching deadline.

 

As I progressed into the heavily researched areas of this assessment, I found many parallels to my current position at my local library service. It was nice to see certain strategies I thought could greatly benefit our own approaches to online engagement which lead to developing my own enthusiasm to create a strong project that I may be able to one day present to my own community engagement department for further use and ideas.

 

Once this assignment was completed and I had reviewed my feedback, I was able to look back upon the experience as a rewarding experience that has reinforced the social media knowledge I have as well as further educate myself in fields I wasn’t as confident in or had no knowledge of in the first place.

 

Finally, now that everything has been submitted and I’ve taken my fist breath free from impending deadlines I may have inevitably missed, I can look back on my social networking journey with a relieved and satisfied attitude that my education from extensive readings, intense research, and fascinating blog posts from my peers will only benefit me greatly in the future and beyond. I know there is still so much studying to be done in this degree and furthermore learning I will inevitably complete in the social and online world, I am very happy with the progress and growth I have made in the past months.

 

References:

 

Hoeg, N., Parisi, T., & Bhatt, A. (2023). Internet addiction. Addiction Center. https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/internet-addiction/

 

Newberry, C. (2023, January 17). 42 Facebook statistics marketers need to know in 2023. Hootsuite. https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-statistics/

 

Taulli, T. (2020, January 31). TikTok: Why the enormous success? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomtaulli/2020/01/31/tiktok-why-the-enormous-success/?sh=546b5ab765d1

 

Zote, J. (2023, March 6). Instagram statistics you need to know for 2023. Sproutsocial. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-stats/

Currently, libraries are taking great leaps of faith into the unknown when it comes to new and emerging technologies to enhance their services, programs, and procedures. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one such new technology that is taking the world by storm with its limitless uses and its unrealised effects on society. Most people have come across trending AI ChatGPT which is a public site that allows users to freely ask questions, have conversations, and seek assistance with emails, tasks, and codes that AI can handle efficiently with natural human-like responses (Ortiz, 2023).

 

The Potential of AI in Libraries

When we picture using AI in library settings, many of us jump ahead and think of the inevitable robot overlords that will dictate our every move, but for the prospective uses for the next couple of years, it will primarily be used for patron assistance with chatbots, generating marketing materials and ideas, and even as a brainstorming or troubleshooting tool (Tanzi, 2023). There are already some systems that utilise AI very lightly such as collection development processes with standing orders that can anticipate what books may be needed in a collection, making this process almost completely automated and efficient (Cox & Mazumdar, 2022).

 

Impact on Information Professionals

The impact of having an AI system introduced to a library service can mean a great deal of change and subsequent stress to staff as well as the chance to simplify workloads and further procedures used. If or when AI is introduced, there will be fundamental changes to how staff would interact digitally with their audience, as well as how tasks are completed within the workplace (Cox, 2023, p. 369). One of the largest setbacks this technology may have will be the perceptions and biases library staff have already formed that can oppose the use and education required for it. With these complications, AI has somewhat of an uphill battle to gain support and enthusiasm for its use internally and outwardly with its patrons (Hervieux & Wheatley, 2021, pp. 7-8)

 

Finally, this new technology is still very unfamiliar within library organisations, but the potential uses are those that can mean a great change to operations and services in terms of modernisation and digitisation. By educating ourselves and staff on its power and capacity to assist with tasks and further customer service opportunities, we can make well-informed decisions that can minimise the possible negative fallout.

 

References:

Cox, A. (2023). How artificial intelligence might change academic library work: Applying the competencies literature and the theory of the professions. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 74(3), 367-380. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24635

 

Cox, A. M., & Mazumdar, S. (2022). Defining artificial intelligence for librarians. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006221142029

Hervieux, S., & Wheatley, A. (2021). Perceptions of artificial intelligence: A survey of academic librarians in Canada and the United States. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(1), 102270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102270

 

Ortiz, S. (2023, May 30). What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here’s what you need to know. ZDNET. https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-chatgpt-and-why-does-it-matter-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/

 

Tanzi, N. (2023, January 23). How can AI be used in libraries? The Digital Librarian. https://the-digital-librarian.com/2023/01/23/artificial-intelligence-in-the-library/

 “Did you know 2021” communicates the digital world’s extent in 2021. Trends I believe influence the information professional include:

Social media

influence has increased exponentially as more people download platforms to further connect themselves to friends, family, and the wider world. 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, with an expected 82% of internet traffic to pass through in 2022 (Esteves, 2021). For an information professional, this can provide great opportunities for outreach and chances for sharing content with an audience beyond physical locations. Applicable to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, coming with ramifications such as misaligning with library values, security concerns, and negative responses (Breeding, 2021, p. 10).

Data breaches

increase as we continue to develop our digital spaces, the sensitive and confidential data that is shared online can be maliciously targeted without permission to be copied, stolen, and shared. In 2020, 44 zettabytes of unique new data were created, and yet there were over 36 billion data records exposed from more than 2935 data breaches (Esteves, 2021). In library settings, malware can target library computers and hold blackmail or release private information with means of further ransom or expenses (McCrea, 2018, Slides 2-4). Entering the age of big data, information professionals must be aware of the big risks and dangers of the digital world to continue safely developing services.

Job market

faces continued uncertainty, and now with the growing presence of digital spaces and forward-looking technologies, the job market has drastically changed with some negative implications. Nevertheless, many in-demand jobs we have today didn’t previously exist, identifying the need for workforces that evolve (Esteves, 2021). Contradictory automation and robotics can now perform 50% of work activities unaided. Thankfully through automation, new jobs are created for maintenance and supervision, yet these new positions require upskilling and training of our current workforce having time and money complications (Holzer, 2022).

Electronic waste

of 53.6 tons were generated in 2021, exponentially growing with new developments and technologies (Esteves, 2021). Once outdated electronic devices are disposed, becoming e-waste exposing harmful toxins and pollutants negatively impacting our environments, ecosystems, and human health (Akram et al., 2019). Information professionals must make informed decisions and be aware of the e-waste generated when selecting technologies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

has numerous uses and potential repercussions, from self-driving cars to outperforming humans in activities (Esteves, 2021). Society is in a divide, some seeing AI in a fearful way, with others seeing an instrument promoting opportunity and efficiency in several industries leading to the creation of skill-based jobs (Stahl, 2021). Libraries must inflict caution alongside openness with AIs implementation to its opportunities to improve.

Overall, we should take these new innovations with a grain of salt and a lot of thought to adapt these new trends to benefit our services.

 

References:

Akram, R., Natasha, Fahad, S., Hashmi, M. Z., Wahid, A., Adnan, M., Mubeen, M., Khan, N., Rehmani, M. I. A., Awais, M., Abbas, M., Shahzad, K., Ahmad, S., Hammad, H. M., & Nasim, W. (2019). Trends of electronic waste pollution and its impact on the global environment and ecosystem. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 26(17), 16923-16938. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04998-2

 

Breeding, M. (2021). Social media disconnect: Considering the role of social media marketing strategies. Computers in Libraries, 41(8), 9-11.

 

Esteves, J. [mesjms]. (2021, January 17). DID YOU KNOW 2021 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbcMPGyPr8k&ab_channel=JoseEsteves

 

Holzer, H. J. (2022, January 19). Understanding the impact of automation on workers, jobs, and wages. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2022/01/19/understanding-the-impact-of-automation-on-workers-jobs-and-wages/

 

Stahl, A. (2021, March 10). How AI will impact the future of work and life. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/03/10/how-ai-will-impact-the-future-of-work-and-life/?sh=5a5a5eea79a3

 

McCrea, A. (2018). Ransomware and data breaches in public libraries. [PowerPoint slides]. Winnefox Extranet. https://extranet.winnefox.org/ce/TechDays2018/resources

Reality is shifting before our very eyes! We all know that technology has been a growing influence in society as it further shapes and encourages innovation. Like any other emerging technology that disrupts our norms, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) challenge the traditional ways of learning, entertainment, and pleasure with the new applications it offers. Let’s look at how these unfamiliar technologies create potential opportunities and threats in a library setting.

 

Advantage: Enhanced engagement and learning

A considerable benefit of VR and AR to library services is the ability it has to build upon programs and establish further projects that can increase a library’s reach with patrons. This is evident from a survey conducted at several Washington State Libraries that endorsed VR programs with feedback that described greater immersion that allowed impossibilities such as 3D space and further thrilling experiences (Dahya et al., 2021, p. 926).

 

Likewise, there are studies that have investigated the value of AR in library locations with various uses across age groups and content. In the UK, a project was started to introduce AR technology into a children’s event where participants were able to experience magical realism that adds another level to the immersive encounter that explored children’s books and historical locations (Reynolds et al., 2020, pp. 504-506). Similarly, this technology was adapted to be used in an academic environment with humanities and social sciences courses that allow for learning in different spaces that can lead to a better understanding of materials and contexts (Hannah et al., 2019, pp. 286-288).

 

Disadvantage: Accessibility and training

While VR and AR can grant new and exciting possibilities in a library space, the application can propose some difficulties regarding accessibility and training. When concerning accessibility, there can be participants that would like to have a go but have a negative reaction from the experience from the audio, visual, or environmental factors (Bureau of Internet Accessibility, 2020). Accessibility can also be affected by the number of equipment required and the upkeep necessary to continue utilising the technology. Training poses its own set of complications as VR and AR being new technology means staff must develop procedures, safety protocols, and familiarise themselves confidently before being able to offer the equipment and other involved events to the public (Cunneen, n.d.).

 

Both VR and AR offer libraries the exciting opportunity to expand their programs and services and further engage with their audience beyond their normal means. However, successfully adapting these technologies in a library setting will come with its own set of difficulties when addressing its accessibility needs and the training required to support it.

References:

Bureau of Internet Accessibility. (2020). Accessibility considerations for augmented and virtual reality for the classroom and beyond. https://www.boia.org/blog/accessibility-considerations-for-augmented-and-virtual-reality-for-the-classroom-and-beyond#:~:text=AR%20and%20VR%20accessibility%20has,underscoring%20the%20need%20for%20inclusivity.

Cunneen, W. (n.d.). Virtual reality training: 5 issues and their solutions. Roundtable Learning. https://roundtablelearning.com/5-problems-with-virtual-reality-training-they-dont-want-you-to-know/

Dahya, N., King, W. E., Lee, K. J., & Lee, J. H. (2021). Perceptions and experiences of virtual reality in public libraries. Journal of Documentation, 77(3), 617-637. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1108/JD-04-2020-0051

Hannah, M., Huber, S., & Matei, S. A. (2019). Collecting virtual and augmented reality in the twenty-first century library. Collection Management, 44(2-4), 277-295. doi:10.1080/01462679.2019.1587673

Reynolds, K., Schofield, T., & Trujillo-Pisanty, D. (2020). Children’s magical realism for new spatial interactions: augmented reality and the David Almond archives. Children’s Literature in Education, 51(4), 502-518. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-019-09389-2

When asked to visualise a librarian, we tend to conjure an image of a little, old lady with large spectacles ready to “shush” anyone who disturbs the blanketing silence of a library. From my own experience working in a library, I don’t recall ever uttering a single “shush” and honestly, I’d be anxious about that type of confrontation!

 

Web 2.0 has initiated a shift in the way library staff operate, with the need to keep up with the ever-changing world of tech to support everyday patrons. Here are a few of the key development areas that I’ve seen become fundamental for today’s information professionals:

 

Digital Literacy and technological knowledge

With the development of digital spaces and information, there is a growing need to strengthen literacy skills. Digital literacy is especially important for anybody as it is having an awareness of new technologies, while still testing new opportunities to evolve current practices and services (Charles Sturt University, 2023). Developing these skills in a workplace can guarantee reliable resources are being utilised within the library setting.

 

Curating digital collections

Digital collections are becoming more and more important for libraries to facilitate as the growing demand for flexibility and online use increases. A digital collection can be comprised of born-digital resources and digitised materials created from the original physical items. Developing digital collections for library patrons allows the resources to be accessible now and in the future with its creation and maintenance facilitated by staff (State Library of NSW, n.d.).

 

Collaboration and knowledge sharing

With so many technologies and digital spaces rapidly evolving, it would be unreasonable to expect library staff to be experts in all areas. Collaborations and knowledge sharing with fellow information professionals and the public are critical to overcoming this issue. A study was conducted in South Asia concerning their techniques and attitudes to knowledge sharing regarding new technologies and trends. Here it was found that library staff were enthusiastic and prepared to share knowledge which has resulted in a common understanding of new and emerging technologies used in their fields (Deka & Subveerapandiyan, 2021, pp.12-14).

 

While this is only a short list of essential skills, refining knowledge in these areas provides a solid basis for Information professionals can confidently travel into new and advanced opportunities for their organisations and beyond.

References:

Charles Sturt University. (2023). Why is digital literacy important? https://libguides.csu.edu.au/digital_literacies/why

Deka, A., & Subveerapandiyan, A. (2021). Understanding the knowledge-sharing behaviours of library professionals in South Asia. Library Philosophy and Practice, 2021, 1-16.

State Library of New South Wales. (n.d.). Digital Preservation. https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/research-and-collections/building-our-collections/caring-collections/digital-preservation

It’s scary to think back to a time when technology was something we all aspired to have, whereas nowadays if you’re not connected, you’re left behind. During the COVID-19 pandemic, trends in technology began happening rapidly as the world worked to stay connected and continue working as close to normal as it could get. With our technologies rapidly evolving to meet our needs, especially in uncertain times, the influence it has on our society has grown and created situations where we have become reliant on information, connection, and convenience it offers.

 

With all these big adjustments to new technologies, statistics are shown on Digital 2021 from Wethesocial that the insane growth across the board with time spent online, social media usage, and the sheer influence brands and organisations have on our attitudes, buying habits, and opinions, have changed the digital environment we interact with increasingly. These statistics include that we spend 3.7 trillion hours online in 2021, which has been steadily increasing our time online to now around 7 hours daily (Wethesocial, 2021).

 

Some of the trends established in the Educause Horizon Report 2021 consist of the expanding presence of digital equity and inclusion, as well as the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in education fields and beyond. The combination of these various modern advancements has drastically changed the educational environment and wider society.

 

Concerning digital equity and inclusion, there is more attention placed on social and economic inequalities as those from different social and economic backgrounds can affect an individual’s experience and use of modern technology. In an education environment to address this, they would be mindful of how technology may disproportionally affect students from low-income backgrounds (EDUCAUSE, 2021). This report recommends that organisations work to provide equal opportunities to avoid situations involving bias or discrimination in a digital space.

 

AI and MR are both advanced complex technologies that are being steadily utilised by many organisations for their limitless uses and simplifying abilities. In an educational setting, ethical concerns are pressing matters when this technology is used in the way to make decisions concerning staff and students. This technology is considered controversial with some of its unpredictable and unknown qualities, along with the high risks of it being used for plagiarism and academic deceit (EDUCAUSE, 2021, pp. 14-15).

 

To conclude, this report has shown the impressive changes that have happened yet pays close attention to the uses and issues of such changes with technology. Yet with the high stakes of unknown and potential consequences of such technologies, there are still promising outcomes that can drastically improve a grow with organisations and the wider society.

References:

EDUCAUSE. (2021). 2021 EDUCASE Horizon report: Teaching and learning edition. https://library.educause.edu/resources/2021/4/2021-educause-horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-edition

We Are Social. (2023). Digital 2021: We are social UK. https://wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2021/01/digital-2021-uk/?mc_cid=ed509b472e&mc_eid=632bbf90f7

Article: From Facebook to YouTube: The Potential Exposure to COVID-19 Anti-Vaccine Videos on Social Media

Let’s be honest, COVID-19 was a bit of a bummer for everyone. The seemingly never-ending lockdowns had us turning to our screens for entertainment – spending countless hours scrolling through funny dog videos and less-than-stellar baking endeavours. But our usual feeds were littered with a growing presence of individuals and groups who held strong and, in some cases, insistent views on vaccinations. As someone with an auto-immune disease, all the unknowns and misinformation being broadcasted everywhere, there were no escapes from the nerve-wracking commentary on what we considered life-or-death decisions.

 

Now that we are in a post-pandemic phase, it is interesting to explore how prominent social media platforms created an environment to rapidly spread information around the world to a significant portion of the population. From the coverage of misinformation without scientific backing and the promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracies on social media, behaviours in the public were impacted in the ‘real world’ with vaccine reluctance and ill-informed protests being the result.

 

On Facebook, studies found that around 41% to 88% of misinformation about COVID-19 remained available on their platform, despite the interventions the company introduced in late 2020 (Gruzd et al., 2023, p. 4, as cited in Avaaz, 2020 and Szeto et al., 2021). Further investigation of 56 Facebook entities showed 37 supported anti-vaccine opinions and merely 8 entities shared pro-vaccine information. Thankfully a review of 98 anti-vaccine posts, only 33 remained available on the platform (Gruzd et al., 2023, p. 10).

 

Since YouTube’s beginnings in 2005, anti-vaccination ideology has taken advantage of the free streaming service and exponential yearly audience growth. However, during COVID-19 anti-vax was kicked into high gear and YouTube found itself dealing with complications of its own success. The platform performed very poorly when it came to moderating these harmful posts with only 34% of reported videos being removed, with its sheer size to blame (Gruzd et al., 2023, p. 5, as cited in Szeto et al., 2021). In addition to the poor moderation of content, YouTube’s recommending algorithm proved to be disastrous, creating an environment where users were bombarded with one-sided videos through targeting (Gruzd et al., 2023, p. 5, as cited in Abul-Fottouh et al., 2020).

 

While there has always been a small number of people that oppose government measures made for the population’s health and safety, it was scary to see how social media seemed to amplify their voices and widen their audience in a way that showed serious ramifications on global vaccine adoption.

 

After reading about social media platforms and anti-vaccination movements, the scariest thing isn’t the targeted ads that seem to listen to conversations. It’s the power of misinformation and how individuals’ and groups’ unfounded opinions can affect our society’s inner workings when targeting frightened people. Lets all stay safe and well informed!

 

References

Abul-Fottouh, D., Song, M. Y.,  & Gruzd, A. (2020). Examining algorithmic biases in YouTube’s recommendations of vaccine video. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 140(104175). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104175

Avaaz. (2020). How Facebook can flatten the curve of the coronavirus infodemic

Gruzd, A., Abul-Fottouh, D., Song, M. Y., & Saiphoo, A. (2023). From Facebook to YouTube: the Potential exposure to COVID-19 anti-vaccine videos on social media. Social Media + Society, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221150403

Szeto, E., Pedersen, K., & Tomlinson, A. (2021, March 30). Marketplace flagged over 800 social media posts with COVID-19 misinformation. Only a fraction were removed. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/marketplace/marketplace-social-media-posts-1.5968539

Hi everyone and welcome to my online reflective journal! My name is Amy and I am studying a Bachelor of Information Science to gain another qualification towards my career in libraries.

I work at my local library in the Sutherland Shire as a Children’s and Youth Library Assistant and hope that with the completion of this degree, I’ll be able to push myself into new and exciting professions!

Thank you for visiting my blog and I look forward to hearing what you all think!

– Amy