Ethical dilemmas in social media

Abstract

Advanced technologies had changed the way on which communication is creating, transferring, disposing and keeping safe, and also opened the space for a phenomenon called “new media”. In the era of new media, the “social media” took a significant and special place, which with their own interactive character, are the most efficient form for reversible communication allowing the public’s opinion to be heard .On this way, social media becomes corporative, and the use of interactive nets as a form of social media marketing, is a new brand and top theme. Therefore, the companies that rely on such marketing and PR move, believe that the same would bring them a good image (style) and would allow them to spread their brand and production portfolio to increasing number of users. But, as traditional, so does social media confronts with ethical dilemmas. Placing a profile of some social medium for one company, more than anything else represents relationship with their users, a relationship undoubtedly based on “trust”. But does, beside simultaneously declared intention in their communication with the users, the relationship is also based on the key ethical principles: truthfulness, frankness, transparency, respect and responsibility? At the same time, what happens with the platforms for discussion and the erasing of “bad comments”, then the respectability on the privacy for the members, the question of social needs and interests of the members, the reality of social excluding… This is just a part of the ethical dilemmas with whom the social media confronts with, and the ones that the author explores in the text.