Explore the video provided and reflect on the themes and questions above reflecting on how you would curate your social media with a critical public audience. 

Curating your social media with a critical public audience can be hard, however, it is necessary when you have a role in the public eye. In this video, it is mentioned that Lui uses Twitter for her career-based sharing and then a private Instagram for her personal use. Separating the two is a great way to go about this because it allows for separation from work and personal life. That way individuals who may not like your presence within the public audience won’t be able to see your personal life. If I was in a public audience this is how I would go about my life. This example as talked about is often seen in young adults and teenagers as they will have multiple Instagram accounts, one being the one where they showcase themselves to the large majority of users and then one account for a select few. This is not necessarily just a strategy that individuals in the public audience use but rather a popular one amongst most social media users.

Identify the risks and benefits of engaging with a public audience in a media space – what are the risks for a public figure or person in a position of trust (educator, lawyer, government official)?  

Engaging with a public audience through a media space can have many benefits, however, it can also land the individual in criticism and backlash. Media in today’s day and age can be a sensitive area where expertise and thorough review must be taken. As talked about in the Lui (2022) interview, Lui’s profession is to share controversial topics online through television and social media. Reporters are often susceptible to backlash when sharing controversial issues. The reporter may not always agree with the topic being discussed, however, they are still on the receiving end and face this backlash. Individuals in positions such as government or lawyers will be faced with controversial decisions that will often cause public disruption. It takes well-trained individuals to be able to separate their career and their personal life. Individuals engaging with a public audience through social media sites must be aware of the challenges that come with it. Often people of power will have their social media presence on sites such as Twitter which is it more focused on short messages, rather than Instagram which is more photo and video based. 

How to best address negative replies and critiques reflective of your personal values and your employer’s social media policy?

As described in the Lui (2022) interview, Sophie Lui describes some of the ways she deals with criticism and critiques. She mentions that using the mute feature on social media platforms is an efficient way (Lui, 2022). The mute feature is great because it makes it so Lui will not see the comments while not letting the other user see that she has done this. Often users who are commenting negative things will be seeking attention, and when someone blocks them, it gives them the attention and validation they were seeking. Another way that she curates her social media is by using different sites for different purposes. She mentions that she uses Instagram for personal use whereas Twitter for professional use. The term mentioned by Lui, “Doom Scrolling” is best described as Lui scrolling through her comment sections and looking at all the feedback she has received. It is best to turn notifications off and continue to share information in a way that your values align with. 

References:

Lui, S. (2022, June 6). Sophie Lui – Edci 338. YouTube. Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfcXgKLzOVM