Wirral Life April 2020 | Page 31

#SOCIALWISE Suicide & mental health issues linked to social media have been rife in the news lately. As it is relatively new to mankind & evolves regularly, the problems arising from its misuse are only just becoming apparent. Social media management is a large part of a digital marketing agency’s portfolio, so we felt that we had a duty to raise awareness of the multitude of concerns surrounding it use. The ability to speak to two thirds of the world, some 4.5 billion people is an incredible yet unprecedented power. Used for good, social media can produce some phenomenal results for businesses & individuals. For us it is a valuable marketing, communication & information tool, delivering positive results. The power it has to do good, can also be wielded for evil. Our team at Revolution Four were therefore keen to undertake a campaign highlighting the dangers, which is why we launched #SocialWise. We’ve explored the problems associated with habitual use & how this detracts from interactions with loved ones & other humans. In some cases this can lead to addiction, mental health issues from comparisons to others (or what others want you to see), & isolation. We’ve discussed the more sinister side of social media such as the power of words & the devastating effect that trolling can have on a person’s wellbeing. We look at stalking & how access to someone can become all consuming. Fake identities or ‘catfishing’ as it is known, can range from proffering younger or tweaked photos of oneself to patent fraudulent identities often used to con people & sadly children into relationships or meetings. Stereotyping or abusing people based on their sexual orientation, gender, colour, religion, age, whatever is easy behind the mask of a profile. Despite this mixed pot of a modern world we live in, prejudices still exist. The upsetting & unbalancing problems caused by the misuse of social media platforms is widespread. Our campaign discusses individual topics & tries to shed some light on how these problems manifest. We also try to offer help & advise on what to do if you or a friend are suffering or struggling. The Revolution Four team feel that we are not alone & since we launched the campaign triggered by Caroline Flack’s tragic suicide, getting on for 3 million people have seen our posts, interacted & hopefully it’s helped. If you would like to be #SocialWise & understand more about the dangers of social media & how to protect yourself & loved ones, then get in touch with us in confidence at [email protected] or interact with us on social media @revolu4ion. wirrallife.com 31