The Myth of Social Media Transparency

by Scott Bishop on November 16, 2009

What Does Social Media Transparency Even Mean?

Social media transparency is often cheered, but social media being a transparent platform is a myth.

Question: How on earth can a medium in which we have complete control over be transparent?

The answer: It’s not.

Over the weekend President Obama was asked about Twitter when talking with a group of Chinese students. Obama was asked, “Do you know about the great firewall and should we be able to use Twitter?” His reply: “I have never used Twitter but I’m an advocate of technology and not restricting internet access.”

Uh…what? Never used Twitter? WTF? After all, it was Obama who was absolutely masterful in his presidential campaign’s use of social media…it’s one of the tools that helped propel him from unknown IL Senator to presidential front-runner. His 2.6 million twitter followers have cheered his campaign’s pledge of transparency for using Twitter. So exactly how has someone with 2.6 million followers never used the service?

Social media allows for the ability to be open, but transparency implies I can see through the smoke. Transparency assumes participants have more control.

But people and organizations still have complete control over thier social media activities. They control what is posted and projected. They have control over the brand they wish to portray of themselves. They have control who is in their networks. They have control over how accurate or inaccurate and genuine their information is.

The wizard behind the curtain is the one I want you to see.

So what exactly is transparent about calculated and strategized content? In most cases with companies and brands…social media is no more transparent than a television or radio commercial. You get no more understanding of who they are or what they’re like in real person than you would with a print ad. Brands generally do not address problems or gaffe’s or crisis without the full sign off of a deep public relations team.

So just what is this transparency everyone is talking about?

It’s the potential. And just as with anything, not everyone…in fact most brands and companies do not live up or even acknowledge this potential. Some do, and those companies are reaping big rewards and creating virtual armies of folks who not only loyally buy their products…but encourage others to do the same.

Transparency implies you can see through something. What you should strive for in your businesses social media activities is not for us to see through you…but for people to see you as you are.

Commentators and marketers are correct in their understanding of the potential of social media…they’re just using the wrong terms.

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Scott S. Bishop is editor for Real Time Marketer and a marketing strategist with a specialty in social media. He is an avid blogger and active across the net. He is @thescottbishop on Twitter

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Tagged as: advocate, followers, media transparency, obama, restricting internet access, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Strategy, Strategy, transparency, Twitter

Article by Scott Bishop

Scott Bishop is editor for Real Time Marketer and is the Director of Social for an integrated marketing firm. He is an avid blogger and active across the net. He is @thescottbishop on Twitter

Scott has written 120 awesome articles for Us.

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http://tdhurst.com tdhurst

Dammit, I say transparency all the time, but you're right, it's not the correct term. Openness? Inclusion?
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sbishop

We all say transparency Tyler, it's burned into our brains. I don't necessarily think we need to change the lingo because that's a battle that's basically impossible because the “guru's” all use “transparency” and therefore so do the masses. But I do def think we need to change way our clients understand it. That's a battle we can win.
http://tdhurst.com tdhurst

Real transparency is only achieved by lifecasting 24/7.
sbishop

Agreed. I think the “transparency” brands need is to find a nice balance of offering some personality to truly connect with customers and actual value on social networks. I think they're often caught in a state of limbo and don't know what to “talk about” or just spew press releases and product info.
sbishop

Agreed. I think the “transparency” brands need is to find a nice balance of offering some personality to truly connect with customers and actual value on social networks. I think they're often caught in a state of limbo and don't know what to “talk about” or just spew press releases and product info.
http://www.Twitter.com/ArtseyC ArtseyC

Like I said, falsehoods will be found out. Lies will be brought to light. Liars can be pointed out. Transparency is a choice (just like votes).

Social Media is not transparent; people who use it can be (or not). “Transparency implies I can see through the smoke…”. No, transparency implies that there is no (intentional) smoke to see through.

Knowledge does not equal control. But knowledge of an untruth can. The control the users have is to give their attention to those being honest (open, transparent) and not those who aren't.

At the end of the day, we agree; let people see you as you are, the good, the bad, the ugly… be real.

Good stuff, Scott.
http://www.Twitter.com/ArtseyC ArtseyC

Like I said, falsehoods will be found out. Lies will be brought to light. Liars can be pointed out. Transparency is a choice (just like votes).

Social Media is not transparent; people who use it can be (or not). “Transparency implies I can see through the smoke…”. No, transparency implies that there is no (intentional) smoke to see through.

Knowledge does not equal control. But knowledge of an untruth can. The control the users have is to give their attention to those being honest (open, transparent) and not those who aren't.

At the end of the day, we agree; let people see you as you are, the good, the bad, the ugly… be real.

Good stuff, Scott.
sbishop

As we talked about earlier, I don't want you thinking my intention was to mislead anyone through social tools. Brands that are dishonest in social media and offline, will rightfully be torn apart online. I appreciate your definition of transparency, and we mostly agree.

But brands utilize social media as a way to mold perception and emotions about their company and products. I don't see it much differently than other more traditional mediums. I think the impact can be more powerful and the tools should be used to reach a personal connection to customers…but at the end of the day brands are still only going to let you see what they want you to.

The same goes for personal branding online. I don't see the benefit of airing dirty laundry. If you're fixing a known customer service issue that's one thing, but spilling bad beans just for the sake of openness doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks for the lively debate!