Corrections and Social Media

Can it be used to further our agenda?

What is Social Media?

Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.

Social Media Lessons from the Boston Marathon Bombing

We all witnessed a series of surreal events in the city of Boston, with the Marathon bombings and the subsequent identification and apprehension of the suspects.

Now that the crisis and chaos of the bombings and the hunt for the suspects have passed, we can reflect on the events and what we might learn from them. While reflections upon life, family, community, and country are certainly paramount, we also saw social media playing a critical role. What can we learn about social media from these events?

Recognize what is possible

Many have noted that a key feature of social media is its ability to facilitate group action. Rarely has that application been seen with greater clarity than through the events at the Boston Marathon.

What would have previously required professional or governmental organizations days or weeks to accomplish was improvised in real time without formal coordination as people connected and collaborated using social media platforms.

New Communication Platforms As cell phone service jammed from

overuse, people turned to Facebook to let their friends and family know they were safe.

As the major news organizations scrambled to understand the events and its details, Twitter rapidly aggregated information and images from everyday people at the scenes of the various events.

Effective collaboration using social media is a learned skill

The Marathon Bombing called attention to the fact that collaboration using social media can also go very wrong. Although Twitter proved an invaluable source of breaking news throughout the event, it quickly became clogged with confusion and misinformation after initial reports were in.

Twitter also made information public that the authorities hoped to keep confidential, which could have easily been used by the suspects to evade capture (but thankfully wasn’t).

Use social media to enhance traditional processes

Social media is most valuable when it augments traditional organizational processes and professional standards.

We need to be smart about what we post.

Real Effects of Social Media

The MA DOC Facebook Page

Hey good lookin’…where are you from?

Reach out and touch someone…

The Cold Case

Drug Smuggling

Facebook…Friend or Foe?

And Now?

What if we do nothing?

Our Twitter Page

What are other states sharing?