CHARLIE’S SOCIAL MEDIA PREDICTIONS FOR 2020: CURIOUS

Predictions blog 2020; CURIOUS link and then from the past linked here: 2019; CHILL | 2018; CONSUMERS | 2017; COMMUNITY | 2016; CRUSADE | 2015; CHUCKLE | 2014; CRUSADE | 2013; CONFIDENCE | 2012; CONVERSATION | 2011; COMMENCING

CHEERS

#BLESSED WE BE TO REMAIN #CURIOUS.

As this is my 10th year writing predictions, and last year was my year of CHILL not writing anything #justbecause, I thought I should step up and acknowledge a whole bunch of people who always give out when the going gets tough on social media. In all reality though, we have kids excelling and earning millions or raising awareness of fantastic causes, or we have kids with major anxiety and self esteem issues (because of social media). Then we have adults who generate goodwill and adults who spur on hate (same, because of social media).

OMG. It’s a life-flip.

TWO ARTICLES TO READ:

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GOOD;

THE 3 STEP STRATEGY FOR YOUR CAUSE.

7 KEY METHODS FOR DEALING WITH NEGATIVITY ONLINE

CURIOUS

I have remained curious this past year. Observing, watching, gathering (OWG). Many elements have emerged and I do believe they are strong enough to make lasting change. I’m going to call them my OWG’s – as you’ll find out, I predict we are having a “life-flip” moment…

I read the article “20 Big Ideas that will change your world in 2020” Published on LinkedIn December 10, 2019 by Isabelle Roughol.

You may well ask ‘who the heck is that?’ – so to explain, she’s a senior editor at large, LinkedIn | Editorial + Product newsroom leader; so she’s probably read a few press releases and news items in her time. I personally found the article “20 Big Ideas” fascinating. She opened with, “The world is accelerating. Years of technological disruption, tumultuous politics and an always-on workplace have left us out of breath. The end of the year gives us an opportunity to slow down.”

Totally.

CONTINUING

The papers I write with Ron Corso, University of South Australia, all discuss creative thinking. I’ve worked with Ron since 2010 to explore how social media can harness creativity – and in particular how to keep the conversation going (fluid) and to stimulate trains of thought.

>> LINK TO PAPER #ONE

>> LINK TO PAPER #TWO

The use of social media is more common place and everyday lives are today very much entwined in social networking and online communities engaging in social conversations.

Our work demonstrated increased student engagement, deeper understandings and broader confidence in applying creativity principles and methodologies to their core studies and overall educational experience. Business and industry are increasingly demanding innovation in the suite of graduate attributes… and we are starting to see the emergence of these skills.

I then read Professor Margie Sharpe’s message of joy. By way of disclaimer, I provide freelance PR services to Margie. She says in her message,

IN OUR WORLD OF GROWING CONCERNS FOR EACH OTHER, AND AS WE CLOSE OUT ANOTHER YEAR, IT WILL BE GOOD TO REFLECT HOW MUCH RESEARCH HAS BEEN COMPLETED, SHARED AND STARTED – AND YET, HOW MUCH IS STILL TO BE DONE.”

> LINK TO FULL MESSAGE

Amen.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE SAME.

While we have come a long way with social media, there is still a long way to go. Is social media still relevant they same way it was 10 – 15 years ago? Do we need to remain more mindful of what we share? Is there an argument for the good and the bad in everything? All curious questions to ponder.

My favourite quote from Kenneth Cole re-emerges

“IF WE REVEAL TOO MUCH ONLINE, ARE WE VIRTUALLY NAKED?”.

CHANGE

The tide is turning.

Bricks and mortar are closing doors, robots are replacing jobs, the weather is hotter, young people have a voice and older people are not dying, they are becoming entrepreneurs called Zebras! (read all about Zebra’s via this link.. ).

It’s a black and white scenario.

All the things we wished for – including older models and a larger representation across the medias for disabled, handicapped, mobility impaired, and the unselfish – are becoming a reality. It’s no longer 2002 with their version of “good media modelling”. It’s soon 2020! We’ve life-flipped the zero to give the clear vision ahead… just like the OMG moment turned into OWG – observing, watching, gathering.

Social media has helped us turn our fears into friends online.

CHANCE

It’s giving life a chance too. Consider, connecting with others to resolve issues. Like sharing news and awareness about services to help others during a crisis or emergency. Appropriately. It’s also about raising awareness about what’s NOT right or appropriate.

Mark Zuckerberg has had his scrutiny over data controls and what is visible online but it goes far deeper with social media organisations needing to lift their game as to the type of information shared across their said platforms.

Sacha Baron Cohen denounced Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google as ‘the greatest propaganda machine in history’ and culpable for a surge in ‘murderous attacks on religious and ethnic minorities’.

Speaking at Never Is Now, the Anti-Defamation League’s summit on antisemitism and hate in New York, where he was presented with the organisation’s international leadership award, Baron Cohen focused on Facebook, saying that ‘if you pay them, the platform will run any “political” ad you want, even if it’s a lie’.

There has been a lot of fuss about “Fake News”. To be frank, people in history have always lied – why would they change simply because of social media.

Where does this leave us?

My thoughts and reality just ‘return to normal’ ie I’m a lay person who uses social media to connect with friends. The organisations I work for use social media to share messages about their products and services. Simple.

However, organisations like Twitter who have denounced political advertising (for example) will forever change how, why and what we use. They rule us in many ways we are still grappling with.

“Back in the day” when I was a plurker… it took Mike Rann, South Australia’s Premier between 2002 – 2011, entering the Twittersphere for us to kick back into using that platform. Yep, you read right, a politician got us back onto a social media platform. We wanted to know what he was saying! Ha!

These days, globally, think Trump. Or think how Obama spoke to us. Think about how our local politicians share their information. Sure they use Facebook, sure they post on LinkedIn, but it’s on Twitter where they all seem to come together.

If someone like Trump leaves Twitter – will it ever be the same?

Twitter has become the powerful platform forcing messages out. It turns out, right into an impeachment.

WHILE WE NEVER REALLY BELIEVE EVERYTHING A POLITICIAN SAYS…

As Baron Cohen says, “On the internet, everything can appear equally legitimate. Breitbart resembles the BBC. The fictitious Protocols of the Elders of Zion look as valid as an ADL report. And the rantings of a lunatic seem as credible as the findings of a Nobel Prize winner. We have lost, it seems, a shared sense of the basic facts upon which democracy depends.”

What is truth? It is what it always has been. Honesty within yourself, good old fashioned values of keeping it real, keep on keeping on and staying true.

Mari Smith recently shared, “publishing more organic stories and creating native stories ads is a great place to focus in 2020. One hot tip for you: Be sure to include interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, sliders, questions, and donations in your stories. People love to touch their phones. Some studies show that people touch their phones over 2,600 times a day and extreme cell phone users (in the top 10%) touch their phones as much as 5,400 times daily. Amazing.”

YOU CAN READ MARI’S FULL ARTICLE – ALONG WITH OTHERS, HERE >> LINK

COURTEOUS

While we traditionally focus on those who excel in the maths and science arena in education and business, social media (generally) encourages those who are more creative.

The story tellers, artists and creative thinkers among us.

The visual element of social media seems to have awoken the spirit of many souls. Platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram/Facebook stories are all about quick snaps in media… not stories. And what is noticeable in the use of stories, across the board, is the uplifting way in which they are used.

Positive vibes like water ripples.

EVERYTHING WE DO, EVEN THE SLIGHTEST THING WE DO, CAN HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT AND REPERCUSSIONS THAT EMANATE. IF YOU THROW A PEBBLE INTO THE WATER ON ONE SIDE OF THE OCEAN, IT CAN CREATE A TIDAL WAVE ON THE OTHER SIDE. VICTOR WEBSTER

Tom Jarvis, from the Wilderness Agency, says, “We’ve seen brands trying to find ways to curb the negative effects of social media on their audience, whilst Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have all responded with measures to prompt more positive usage of their platforms.”

What I’m hoping for in our 2020 year is for a more socially aware, compassionately driven, integrated channel that inspires positive action. My drive will be to remain curious. Happy new year.

Energy can’t be created or destroyed, and energy flows. It must be in a direction, with some kind of internal, emotive, spiritual direction. It must have some effect somewhere. KEANU REEVES

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