The world is experiencing difficult times like conflicts breaking out while at the same time some of the most amazing breakthroughs in humanity that will truly shape the future are taking place now: AI being science fiction at first then becoming reality, MR/VR coming to life, and so much more.
And as we explore the future, there are things we are seeing today that have the potential to change the trajectory of the world forever, especially as it relates to online threats voiced via social media which can come in a multitude of forms.
For many years we have guided global companies (Fortune 500s, etc.) on social media analytics ranging from identifying food safety issues to discovering investment opportunities for VC/PE firms and so much more. But unfortunately now we’re seeing a huge spike in social media threats across a wide variety of industries and throughout the globe.
Before we dig a little deeper, it’s important to note that we stand with peace around the world and our insights are purely based on the data we’re seeing at the time of writing this post. And most importantly, taking a blind approach where everything comes down to the data regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, being a pesca-pescatarian like Erlich Bachman on the show Silicon Valley, etc. is what we stand for.
Below are some of the recent questions we’re getting related to the ways behaviors on social media have been changing and the types of issues surfacing, especially when it comes to public companies worried about the instability today and how to best monitor/mitigate it.
How are online behaviors changing today when it comes to social media?
Given the volatility in the world across a wide range of indicators, online behaviors are changing rapidly and both the rate of change and change itself is highly dependent on the verticals along with what’s occurring in those specific bubbles. For example, a global pizza chain that’s a competitor of yours may launch a new pizza that tastes like cardboard and social media activity reflects that.
Why do threats towards companies/people occur and where do they start?
Social media threats aimed at people and companies usually originate from something small that ended up snowballing, but in reality could have been fixed with intelligent customer experience/service solutions in place beforehand. The concept of the customer is always right is inherently flawed, and nowadays avoiding a social/PR issue by making one customer right is worth it instead of dealing with the aftermath. The simple calculation of cost vs reward/loss.
Is there a way to understand social media threats before bad things happen?
There are a variety of ways to understand social media threats before they impact you or your company, and it all comes down to first identifying what’s potentially on the horizon then working to create the best solution. The biggest tip we can give: Channel your inner human and use your emotional intelligence.
Will social media threats continue to be a problem in the future?
Social media threats have been a problem for the past 10+ years ranging from companies being impacted to school/workplace violence, terrorism and so much more. And the data we’re seeing shows the volume of threats will continue to rise in the future thus creating an exponential Rubik’s cube of problems to solve.
What is the best way to deal with threats posted on social media?
Whether you’re running CX/PR or other departments at big companies or more focused on the security side of the equation, the best way to deal with social media threats is to first wrap your head around what’s happening and why then formulate the best, most effective response plan. Though keep in mind nothing is set in stone and all insights/responses need to be analyzed/adjusted in the moment.
The moral of the story is that we are living in an interesting world today, and we can all do our part to make it a better place.
Have questions about ways we can help you? Let’s connect.