Exploring situationally inappropriate social media posts: An impression management perspective

Purpose - Social media technologies are used by many organizations to project a positive image of their strategies and operations. At the same time, however, there are an increasing number of reports of slip-ups linked to poor situational awareness and flawed self-presentations on social media platf...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Information technology & people (West Linn, Or.) Or.), 2016-08, Vol.29 (3), p.597-617
Main Authors: Richey, Michelle, Ravishankar, M.N., Coupland, Christine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Boundaries
Digital media
Information technology
Management
Organizations
Platforms
Social networks
Strategy
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Summary:Purpose - Social media technologies are used by many organizations to project a positive image of their strategies and operations. At the same time, however, there are an increasing number of reports of slip-ups linked to poor situational awareness and flawed self-presentations on social media platforms. The purpose of this paper is to explore the triggers of inappropriate social media posts. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected during a qualitative study of social media use in 31 organizations in the UK and interpreted using concepts from Erving Goffman's theory of impression management. Findings - The findings point to a series of demanding triggers, which increase the likelihood of insensitive and contextually inappropriate posts and also damage fostered impressions. Originality/value - The authors identify four triggers linked to inappropriate social media posts, namely: speed and spontaneity; informality; blurred boundaries; and the missing audience. The authors also discuss how extending the notion of what Goffman refers to as "situation-like" encounters provides useful insights into impression management on social media.
ISSN:0959-3845
DOI:10.1108/ITP-03-2015-0045