Editorial

Abstract

In todays internet age there is an expectation that we not only become acquainted with social media, but that we use it; and wisely too. This expectation is reinforced by the proliferation of social media use by government agencies which, increasingly, have active social media profiles, and use Twitter and other forms of social media as an essential aspect of their communication strategy. Social media savvy professionals have access to reports and information very quickly as many reports are released on Twitter and are immedi- ately accessible and downloaded.Indeed, social media is growing in popular- ity in healthcare and academia as witnessed by the proliferation of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, message boards, online com- munities, blogs (short form of weblogs) and Wiki. There are several advantages of using social media including - but not limited to - providing updates of news and events, networking, outreach, engaging and targeting large audiences and stake- holders, and furthering public relations. Social media is also cheaper than traditional commu- nication methods (e.g., mobile technology), and accessible to all with an internet connection irre- spective of location. This communication takes place in 'real-time', allowing for frequent updates for followers (online community) and, best of all, it is free to use. Essentially, social media has created a level playing field (Boyer, 2011), with communication being two-way where people can interact, readily share resources and information and provide rapid comment. Social media has been referred to as 'the new town square'. In this Editorial we will canvass some of the advantages, and disadvantages of social media, to facilitate 'e-professional' conduct.One of the main advantages of social media is that it involves talking with an audience, not to an audience, so that interactions are omnidirec- tional (Sarringhaus, 2011). Skype for example, an Internet-based videoconferencing service is a valuable resource for education, professional development, research collaborations and gen- eral communication. Twitter, a micro-blogging platform, provides opportunity for users to fol- low others and share their interests and news (via tweets 140 characters or less), announcements, and other relevant information. Twitter is particu- larly useful for increasing awareness of a particular topic, and facilitating professional dialog, com- munication and exchange of information such as evidence based materials (Leow, Pozo, Groen, & Kushner, 2012), whereas blogs provide an online forum for activities to be discussed in greater detail (Sarringhaus, 2011). A recent news item provided 10 top tips for National Health Service (NHS) tweeters, and included in the list was advice about being responsible and taking care, but not being fearful of Twitter. Reader comments that followed the article raised some additional issues, includ- ing one comment suggesting social media includ- ing Facebook and Twitter are 'ideal' and efficient options for whistleblowers, and another highlight- ing the potential for disciplinary action as a result of comments made on social media.1For potential and current users of social media there are many considerations. First, it is impor- tant to know how to engage constructively with technology to make use of social media in a meaningful way. As we have stated, immediate access to information is one of the key profes- sional benefits of social media. A recent exam- ple was the release of the long-awaited Francis Report2 into the events at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust (UK). This report, in its entirety, was available immediately to a wide audi- ence thanks to social media. This meant that health and social care professionals, practitioners, clini- cians and academics had instant access to the full report and the process of debate, dialog and reflec- tion was able to begin almost as soon as the link to the report was tweeted. …