Social Equity and Mass Media – How Nonprofits Can Build A Better Digital World

Think of internet access like food access. Most Americans have access to food – but that does not mean that the food is equal in terms of quality, cost or nutrition. People living in poverty have less access to nutritious foods and are more likely to purchase cheaply processed junk food, which if left unchecked, can lead to a host of health problems later on.  As internet expansion increases and more people have access through cheaper smartphone and school laptops, it shouldn’t be assumed that everyone has the same digital experiences or advantages. Media literacy skills and digital manipulation limit the ways in which people experience (or don’t experience) the internet.  As nonprofit organizations turn to technology to help reach vulnerable populations, they need to remember that disparities still exist and that their communication strategies need to be flexible for multiple audiences.  

According to Taranu, the quality of internet experience is a key concern in reducing social inequity.  But limited media literacy skills and digital manipulation (such as Google or Facebook algorithms) keep people in digital silos, creating deep social divisions (2011).  Facebook and its algorithms prioritize content you have previously liked (Granados, 2016). So if you like a friends photo or shared link, more content from that particular friend will be shown more and more in your newsfeeds– making it more likely you will click on her information more often. Add to that we are often friends with people that share similar interests, values and beliefs. So, the news your friends are sharing is likely to be news you approve of – which doesn’t mean it is always accurate, unbiased or trustworthy.

Social media is all about feeling included in something bigger than yourself. That is why we get little rush of adrenaline when someone likes our photo or comments on a post or retweets us.  Nonprofits and other grassroots organizations should capitalize of the desire to belong and share information and opinions. This need for inclusion is a brilliant way to grow an audience and build a digital following – no matter if you are a healthcare nonprofit, community resource, youth organization. The biggest advantage of technology for nonprofits is the ability to use social media to create virtual spaces to collaborate and share resources and empower others (Hernandez, Robles, & Martinez, 2013).  

Image Source: https://www.infohio.org/blog/item/let-s-get-real-about-fake-news

Nonprofits need to recognize that social media is about conversations, not a soapbox.  People gravitate online to like-minded groups and – as seen in the 2016 US Presidential Election. In the wake of fake news and an increasing skepticism in journalism, it’s important for nonprofits to present information that is transparent and easy to understand and includes all people, not just those individuals who support their platform. For example, a substance use prevention coalition needs to appeal to many different sectors – some of which diverge in opinion. The law enforcement sector may have a different view of the opioid epidemic as a disease versus a choice than the health care or social work sector. Nonprofits need to be able to effectively communicate across opinions, to build capacityand collaboration.    

References 

Gilmore, J. N. (2017). From ticks and tocks to budges and nudges: the smartwatch and the haptics of informatic culture. Television & News Media , 189-202.

Granados, N. (2016, June 30). How Facebook biases your newsfeed . Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nelsongranados/2016/06/30/how-facebook-biases-your-news-feed/#55d800cd1d51Hernandez, E., Robles, M., & Martinez, J. (2013). Interactive youth and civic cultures: the educational, mediatic and political meaning of the 15M. Scientific Journal of Media Education , 59-67.

Hernandez, E., Robles, M., & Martinez, J. (2013). Interactive youth and civic cultures: the educational, mediatic and political meaning of the 15M. Scientific Journal of Media Education , 59-67.

Taranu, A.-M., Paun, E., Florea, N., Nicole, R., & Lazaroiu, G. (2011). The ethics of participation, sharing and collaboration in networked media cultures: new digital technologies and participatory models of knowledge production . Economics, Management and Financial Markets, 363-372.

Information Overload and Mental Health – What Nonprofits Need to Know

Never have people been so connected to the rest of the world. Information is disseminated globally in minutes rather than weeks. People can have meaningful relationships with individuals on opposite ends of the planet. Any question a persona has can be answered correctly by google in a few seconds. But all of this inter-connectivity has not come with out a price. With the rise in connectivity has come a rise in depression. With the ease of finding information has come a massive information overload that adds stress to people’s lives, rather than making them easier.  For nonprofits who are looking to use technology to connect with community members and help people it is essential they understand the implications of information overload and how it is affecting society.

Social Media & Depression

Social media use has seen some unintended consequences when it comes to user’s mental health.  In a 2017 report released by Facebook, the social media giant admitted that there is growing body of evidence that links social media usage to depression, both in youth and adults (Morris, 2017).  The report outlines a correlation with a rise in social technology and reports of depression and social isolation. Users report feeling worse about themselves after just 10 minutes of scrolling though friend’s newsfeed. Facebook isn’t the only problem. Instagram is also shown to decrease people’s happiness. None of this should come to much surprise. After all, how many bad photos do you ever see on Facebook or Instagram? They are platforms for showcasing the best parts of a person’s life. And for many, it is a very slippery slope to compare their own life with highlight reels of their friends lives.  

Information Overload & Anxiety

According to Gilmore, there are so many options available for organizing one’s life that people may feel the need to track how they keep track of things.  Thinking about my own use of technology, it is not uncommon for me to have concurrent conversations going via phone text, Facebook messenger, email and snap chat.  Two screen phenomena is also adding to the stress of information overload.  People can watch TV while scrolling through Facebook or checking their emails. This can lead to anxiety when people are forced to unplug from their digital security blanket (Nomophobia - why you can't live without your Smartphone, 2015).  It’s an interesting paradox – too much information and technology is making us miserable, but we are too afraid to just pull the plug on it. 

Image Source: http://www.isvmag.com/2014/07/power-facebook-mental-health/

Having worked in public health for the past decade I can spot a public health epidemic when I see one. And the growing dependency on technology – a borderline addiction – is going to be our next great health epidemic, alongside obesity and tobacco use. But like nutrition and addictive substances, technology is a complex issue. It isn’t going away and it does provide value in many ways, such as telemedicine and online support groups and an affordable way to disseminate information.  Nonprofits can play an important role in reversing the tide of mental health problems brought on by technology by encouraging healthy behaviors including resources for parents and teens can help change thesocial norms around social media.

References 

Gilmore, J. N. (2017). From ticks and tocks to budges and nudges: the smartwatch and the haptics of informatic culture. Television & News Media , 189-202.

Morris, D. Z. (2017, December 16). Facebook admists social media can harm your mental health. Retrieved from Fortune.com: http://fortune.com/2017/12/16/facebook-admits-social-media-can-harm-your-mental-health/

Nomophobia - why you can't live without your Smartphone. (2015, August 25). Retrieved from Norton UK : https://uk.norton.com/norton-blog/2015/08/nomophobia_why_you.html

The Haptic Instance - Where Technology and Feelings Intersect

It’s hard to imagine that people can get anymore integrated with technology than they are today without becoming part of a sci-fi movie, complete with implanted chips in our brains. Smartphones, Bluetooth, smartwatches are all examples of how technology continues to shrink in size but expand exponentially in influence and integration.  Today an average Smartphone controls nearly every aspect of a person’s life, going well beyond basic communication to include shopping, banking, and job searching.  Smartphones can now even control the home’s environment from someplace else, allowing homeowners to turn off the lights remotely or checking security cameras while on vacation. The rapid shrinking and evolution of technology offers many possibilities for nonprofit organizations, along with a host of challenges.

According to the article From Ticks and Tocks to Budgets and Nudges: The Smartwatch and the Haptics of Information Culture by James N. Gilmore, computer systems are information mediators – they provide information for a person to interpret at will. But as technology continues to evolve, computer systems are poised to become a much more personal (2017).  Most people have heard of smartwatches, but since they are still relatively new, few nonprofits have thought of ways to leverage the power of wearable technology. Although like a Smart Phone or iPhone, Apple Smartwatches are notably different in that they create what is known as a ‘haptic instant’ – a physical reaction to information (Gilmore, 2017). For example, a smartwatch wearer gets a gentle buzz or vibration when he or she has a new email or a new social media notification.

Image Source: Christopher Neto CTS Twitter https://twitter.com/chris_neto/status/536504563466244098

This haptic sensation has many possibilities for healthcare and public health. Imagine a diabetes patient getting a gently nudge from their smart watch to check their insulin levels or a heart patient to take their morning medication.  Unlike a timer, which can be ignored or forgotten, the sensation of the smartwatch has the potential to rewire the way we think and respond to environmental cues.  According to Gilmore, Haptic Instant also has the potential to reduce information overload and eliminate the second screen multitasking that is common place, but not necessarily healthy (2017). 

So what does this mean for nonprofits? It means challenges of course. Many smaller nonprofits have a hard enough time keeping up with just social media, let alone creating apps for smart watches. The key is to think in terms of technology being flexible and fluid; like the ocean it is always moving, always changing the shoreline – taking things away and bringing in different things. Nonprofits who can stay abreast of trends and be forward thinking will have an easier time to embrace technology as it comes. The haptic instant is just one way that technology will change how audiences respond to technology. While not adopted widely, as seen in previous technology trends – when it does it will be fast furious and people will have forgotten life without their smartwatches and other wearable technologies. 

Reference

Gilmore, J. N. (2017). From ticks and tocks to budges and nudges: the smartwatch and the haptics of informatic culture. Television & News Media , 189-202.