After Reviewing The Lessons For Module Two You Are Now Famil

After Reviewing The Lessons For Module Two You Are Now Familiar With

After reviewing the lessons for Module Two, you are now familiar with the marketing environment. One of the components of this environment is technology. Especially in today’s technologically advanced world, where many people have access to high-speed internet, social media has become an integral part of people’s lives. Therefore, marketers rely heavily on social media to reach customers. In this discussion, you will explore ethical and legal issues related to social media information-sharing policies and consider whether we need new laws.

For your initial post, you will choose a social medium with which you are familiar (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) that marketers use to reach their current and potential customers, and address the following issues: Pros and Cons: Identify the social medium you have chosen and list at least two pros and two cons of using this social medium for reaching customers. Privacy: When you sign up for most internet services, including social media, you consent to sharing your information for advertising purposes. This enables these media to track you on the internet and record your behavior. As a result, a lot of people have voiced concern about privacy. Decide whether you think it is ethical for social media to track you on the internet and study your behavior, and whether legislators should intervene and pass laws to restrict or eliminate this capability. Share your opinion and explain your rationale, using the social media platform you analyzed in Step 1 to illustrate your point. Legislative Regulation: There are no clear boundaries to the scope or limitations of business with social media. For instance, Facebook started as a social interaction platform, but it has recently served as a news medium as well. This brings up the question of whether they should then be held to the same standards and regulations of a news company, and currently the answer lies in somewhat of a grey area. Share whether you think laws should be put in place to control the scope of social media activity in the way news organizations are and explain why or why not. Refer to the social media platform you analyzed in Step 1 to illustrate your point.

Paper For Above instruction

Social media has revolutionized the way businesses connect with their audiences, offering unprecedented opportunities for marketing and customer engagement. Among the most prominent platforms in this realm is Instagram, a visually driven social media network that has become a vital tool for marketers aiming to reach diverse demographic groups. In this paper, I will explore the pros and cons of using Instagram for marketing, analyze ethical considerations related to privacy, and evaluate the regulatory landscape concerning social media as a news provider.

Pros and Cons of Using Instagram for Marketing

Instagram offers several advantages for marketers seeking to promote their products and services. Firstly, its highly visual platform enables brands to showcase products through images and videos, which can significantly enhance consumer engagement and brand recall. The platform also boasts a vast global user base, with over one billion active users monthly, providing expansive reach potential for marketers (Statista, 2023). Additionally, Instagram offers sophisticated advertising tools, including targeted ads based on user behavior, preferences, and demographics, allowing for precise audience segmentation (Kumar et al., 2020).

However, there are also notable disadvantages. One challenge involves the high competition on the platform, which can make it difficult for individual brands to stand out without substantial advertising budgets. Furthermore, Instagram’s emphasis on visual content incentivizes polished, curated posts, which may lead to superficial representations and influence consumer trust negatively (Marwick, 2015). Additionally, the platform’s algorithm changes can affect organic reach accuracy, requiring continual adaptation by marketers to maintain visibility (Huang & Rust, 2021).

Ethical Considerations and Privacy Concerns

Regarding privacy, Instagram tracks user behavior through data such as likes, comments, time spent on posts, and browsing patterns. This data collection enables targeted advertising, which is a core revenue source for the platform. Many users are concerned about the extent to which their behavioral data is collected and used without explicit consent or transparency (Tufekci, 2018). From an ethical perspective, the question arises whether it is acceptable for social media platforms to monitor user activity for profit motives. I believe that it is ethically problematic if users are not fully aware of how their data is being used, and thus, greater transparency is necessary. Companies should clearly inform users about data collection practices and provide opt-in mechanisms for tracking, respecting user autonomy and privacy rights.

Legislators should intervene to establish clearer regulations that protect users’ privacy. Laws similar to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe could serve as models globally, mandating explicit user consent and offering data portability rights (Voigt & Von dem Bussche, 2017). These measures would ensure that tracking is conducted ethically and transparently, aligning business practices with societal expectations for privacy.

Regulating the Scope of Social Media as a News Medium

The dual role of platforms like Instagram—serving both as social interaction sites and news disseminators—raises complex regulatory questions. Currently, there is a regulatory grey area since social media companies are neither fully held to the standards of traditional news organizations nor entirely free from oversight. I argue that such platforms should be subject to specific regulations to mitigate misinformation, bias, and the spread of false news, similar to journalistic standards. Implementing policies for fact-checking, content moderation, and transparency in algorithmic decision-making can help curb misinformation while fostering responsible content dissemination (Tambini & Tygart, 2019).

However, regulating social media as news outlets must be balanced against issues of free speech and innovation. Overregulation could suppress legitimate free expression and hinder technological advancements in information sharing. Therefore, a nuanced, multi-stakeholder approach involving policymakers, industry players, and civil society is essential to establish reasonable boundaries that uphold democratic values without compromising the open nature of social media (Balkin, 2019).

Conclusion

Instagram exemplifies the benefits and challenges inherent in leveraging social media for marketing. While offering extensive reach and targeted advertising, it presents significant privacy concerns that demand ethical scrutiny and legislative action. Moreover, as social media continues to evolve into a significant news medium, establishing appropriate regulations becomes vital to balance free expression with the need to prevent misinformation. A comprehensive regulatory framework that protects user privacy and promotes responsible content-sharing will ensure that social media remains a beneficial tool for society and commerce alike.

References

• Balkin, J. M. (2019). The internet, social media, and free speech. Stanford Law Review, 71(3), 517-538.
• Huang, M.-H., & Rust, R. T. (2021). Engaged to a Robot? The Role of AI in Service. Journal of Service Research, 24(1), 30–41.
• Kumar, A., Bezawada, R., Rishika, R., Janakiraman, R., & Kannan, P. K. (2020). From social to sale: The effects of firm-generated content in social media on customer behavior. Journal of Marketing, 84(2), 7-25.
• Marwick, A. (2015). Instafame: Luxury selfies in the attention economy. Public Culture, 27(1 (75)), 137-160.
• Statista. (2023). Instagram monthly active users worldwide. https://www.statista.com/statistics/578365/instagram-global-users/
• Tambini, D., & Tygart, D. (2019). Journalism, social media, and the regulation of misinformation. Digital Journalism, 7(2), 137-150.
• Tufekci, Z. (2018). Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest. Yale University Press.
• Voigt, P., & Von dem Bussche, A. (2017). The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): A Practical Guide. Springer.