Gabriela M. Diaz

The current state of social media ethics: what trends are happening in the industry?

The current state of social media ethics is honestly going through a big shift. People are more aware than ever when something feels fake, forced, or misleading. One of the biggest trends right now is transparency. Influencers are expected to clearly label ads and paid partnerships. The FTC has made it clear that hiding sponsorships or being vague about them is not acceptable. Audiences want honesty, and brands are realizing that trust matters more than ever.

Another trend is the conversation around misinformation and AI. With edited photos, filters, and even AI-generated influencers, it is becoming harder to tell what is real. This raises ethical concerns because unrealistic content can impact mental health, especially for younger audiences. Overall, social media ethics today is about accountability, authenticity, and understanding the real-world impact of digital content.

What are two current cases related to social media ethics?

One major case related to social media ethics involves influencers not properly disclosing paid partnerships. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned and fined influencers who promote products without clearly stating that they are sponsored. This is unethical because it misleads followers into thinking the recommendation is completely unbiased when it is actually paid content.

Another issue involves unrealistic beauty standards caused by heavy photo editing and AI filters. Many influencers present altered images that create unattainable expectations. This has sparked debates about authenticity and mental health. These cases show that ethical problems on social media are not just about following rules, but also about protecting audience trust and well-being.

Outline the current code of ethics for social media by a professional organization you would be interested in joining as part of their social media staff.

A professional organization I would be interested in joining is the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Their Code of Ethics focuses on honesty, fairness, advocacy, independence, and accountability.

According to PRSA, professionals must:

Provide accurate and truthful information

Disclose conflicts of interest

Avoid deceptive communication

Protect confidential information

Take responsibility for correcting mistakes

I would be interested in joining PRSA because their ethical standards match what I believe social media professionals should practice. In digital marketing, it is easy to prioritize engagement and profit over integrity. However, long-term success depends on credibility and trust. The PRSA Code creates a clear structure for making ethical decisions.

What brands are utilizing proper social media ethical practices?

One brand that demonstrates strong ethical practices is Fenty Beauty. Fenty built its brand around inclusivity by offering a wide range of foundation shades and consistently representing diverse models in its marketing. This shows social responsibility and a commitment to equity rather than promoting one narrow beauty standard.

Another brand is Aerie. Aerie has promoted body positivity by featuring unretouched photos in its campaigns. By reducing heavy editing, the brand promotes authenticity and challenges unrealistic beauty standards. These brands show that ethical marketing can also be successful marketing.

Are there any professionals who you feel practice strong ethical behavior on social media?

One professional I believe practices strong ethical behavior is Marques Brownlee (MKBHD). He clearly separates sponsored content from independent reviews and openly discloses partnerships. He is known for giving honest opinions, even when reviewing products from companies that sponsor him. That level of transparency builds long-term credibility with his audience.

What are some takeaways you can bring forth in your own practices?

One important takeaway for me is that transparency should always come first. Whether something is sponsored or an opinion, the audience deserves clarity. I also learned that ethical social media practice includes thinking about the emotional and psychological impact of content. What we post can influence someone’s confidence, beliefs, or purchasing decisions.

In my own practices, I will focus on honesty, clear communication, and being mindful of how content affects others.

What main concepts do you think are necessary to adhere to for your own personal conduct online?

For my personal conduct online, I believe honesty, accountability, empathy, and respect are essential. Honesty ensures that I am not misleading others. Accountability means owning up to mistakes and correcting them quickly. Empathy reminds me that real people are behind every comment and interaction.

I also believe in verifying information before sharing it. In a digital environment where misinformation spreads quickly, being responsible with information is extremely important. Ethical behavior online reflects both personal values and professional standards.

What main concepts do you feel strongly against and want to make sure you avoid on social media?

I strongly want to avoid deceptive advertising, clickbait tactics, and spreading unverified information. These practices damage credibility and contribute to a toxic online environment. I also want to avoid promoting unrealistic standards that could negatively affect someone’s mental health.

Avoiding these behaviors is important because once trust is broken, it is very difficult to rebuild.

List 5–10 core concepts that you will follow as a practicing social media professional. Include citations that you used.

Core Concepts I Will Follow:

Transparency in sponsorships and partnerships

Accuracy and fact-checking before sharing information

Clear distinction between paid content and personal opinion

Accountability for mistakes and prompt corrections

Respect for privacy and consent

Inclusive and culturally sensitive representation

Ethical use of editing tools and AI

Prioritizing long-term trust over short-term engagement

References (APA Format)

Federal Trade Commission. (2023). Disclosures 101 for social media influencers. https://www.ftc.gov

Public Relations Society of America. (2022). PRSA code of ethics. https://www.prsa.org

Nonprofits depend on public awareness, engagement, and trust. Social media helps them reach supporters, drive donations, and expand influence on limited budgets. As Freberg notes, effective social media needs research, planning, and audience analysis to foster meaningful action (Freberg, Chapters 6, 7, and 11).

For this blog, I analyzed the social media presence of Feeding America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending hunger in the United States. Feeding America maintains active accounts on Facebook and Instagram, making them strong platforms for evaluating vanity metrics and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Vanity metrics such as likes, views, shares, and followers provide insight into awareness and visibility. While these metrics do not measure direct impact on their own, Freberg explains that they are useful indicators of initial audience interest and content performance (Freberg, Ch. 6).

On Facebook, Feeding America has a large following and consistent posting schedule. Many posts receive high view counts, particularly video content, which is significant since Facebook counts a view after three seconds (Hootsuite). Posts that tell personal stories or highlight individuals impacted by food insecurity tend to perform better than direct donation appeals. However, several fundraising posts receive relatively low engagement, suggesting that viewers may not feel motivated to interact or take action.

On Instagram, where views are also counted after three seconds, Feeding America uses a mix of photos, videos, and Reels. Reels often generate higher view counts, showing strong visibility, but engagement in the form of comments and shares is inconsistent. This indicates that while the content is being seen, it is not always encouraging deeper interaction.

According to Freberg’s strategic planning framework (Ch. 7), social media content should align with organizational goals and be tailored to platform-specific strengths. There are several ways Feeding America could improve its vanity metrics while supporting long-term objectives.

On Facebook, creating content “buckets” could help balance different types of posts. These buckets could include storytelling posts, educational content, volunteer highlights, and fundraising appeals. Increasing the use of short-form video would likely improve views and reach, as Facebook’s algorithm favors video that keeps users on the platform longer. Clearer calls to action, such as encouraging users to share or click a donation link, could also increase engagement.

On Instagram, Feeding America could increase the frequency of Reels to take advantage of algorithm prioritization and expand visibility beyond existing followers. Using a wider variety of hashtags and adding interactive captions that ask questions could help boost comments and shares. Story features such as polls, donation stickers, and swipe links could further increase engagement.

While vanity metrics are useful, Freberg emphasizes the importance of tracking advanced, channel, and behavioral metrics to measure true effectiveness (Ch. 11). On Facebook, an important advanced metric to track is conversion rate. This could be improved by including direct donation links and monitoring which posts lead to completed donations. A key channel metric is reach, which could be expanded through increased video use and shared content. A relevant behavioral metric is click-through rate, which could be improved by using stronger calls to action and clearer messaging.

On Instagram, conversion rate is also a valuable advanced metric, especially when tracking donations or sign-ups through link-in-bio tools and Stories. A useful channel metric is impressions, particularly the comparison between follower and non-follower views. Posting Reels and collaborative content could increase non-follower impressions. For behavioral metrics, engagement rate is especially important, and it could be improved through interactive Stories, questions, and polls.

By Gabriela M. Diaz

Social media, in my opinion, is more than just apps or platforms where people post pictures and videos. I define social media as a digital space where people communicate, express themselves, build communities, and influence one another in real time. While the textbook explains social media from a more structured and academic point of view, I see it as something deeply personal and constantly evolving. Social media reflects who we are, what we care about, and how we want to be seen by others. It can be used for entertainment, education, activism, business, and connection, all at the same time. What makes social media powerful is not just the technology behind it, but the people who use it and the meaning they attach to it.

I would characterize myself as an active but intentional social media user. I use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat mostly to stay connected with friends, follow trends, and express creativity. I enjoy engaging with content that feels authentic, whether that is humor, art, lifestyle content, or social issues. At the same time, I am aware that social media can be overwhelming, so I try to be mindful of how much time I spend online and what kind of content I consume. Sometimes I post regularly, and other times I take breaks when I feel overstimulated. Overall, I see social media as something that should enhance my life, not control it.

One of my strengths when it comes to understanding social media is my awareness of how it influences emotions, behavior, and perception. After watching Gary Vaynerchuk’s self-awareness video, I realized how important it is to truly know yourself when using social media. I understand that people curate their online presence and that not everything posted reflects real life. This helps me avoid comparing myself too much to others. I am also good at recognizing trends and understanding what kind of content grabs attention and why. I can usually tell when something is posted for engagement rather than authenticity, which helps me be a more critical user.

However, I also have challenges. One of my biggest challenges is avoiding distraction. Social media is designed to keep users scrolling, and even when I am aware of that, it can still be hard to stop. Another challenge is dealing with misinformation. With so much content being shared so quickly, it is sometimes difficult to tell what is accurate and what is misleading, especially when information is presented in a convincing or entertaining way. This is something I hope to improve throughout this class.