STAYING IN CONTACT
THE idea of isolation is a daunting one. Luckily, we are in an age where we’re connected almost all of the time, even when we’re not physically near someone.
We’re socially distant but, for some, we’re being more social than ever.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, there was a lot of talk about the links between mental health issues and social media use, but now it seems that social media has become a saving grace.
It’s allowed us to live our lives as close to normal as realistically possible while everyone is stuck indoors. Even 20 years ago, we might have been facing very different circumstances in terms of work, entertainment, and even getting food.
It’s also allowed for a spread of acts of kindness.
Matt Navarra is a social media consultant based in Cardiff. He believes that social media is both “a blessing and curse” in times like these.
“Use of social media is up by as much as 70% in some countries, and the use of group video calling and messaging has seen growth rates of 1,000% in some places,” said the social media expert.
“The unprecedented shift to working from home is also fuelling the change in how often, and in what ways, we all use social media.
“On the one hand, social platforms and messaging apps are giving us a sense of virtual companionship and conversation at a time when we are trapped in our homes and need people to talk to more than ever.
“However, social media is also a place filled with misinformation and fake news – which is dangerous when governments and public health organisations desperately need to communicate important information to protect them and the ones they love.
“Social media also presents us with a very modern-day challenge – an infodemic,” he adds, alluding to the words spoken by the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu, director general of WHO, said: “We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic.”
Matt, who runs the Social Media Geek Out Facebook group, added: “While the likes of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms enable us to get breaking news alerts and critical public health information as it happens 24/7/365, the average person’s capacity and capability to receive, comprehend and filter an endless stream of ‘facts’ or news is limited.
“The major social networks are acutely aware of this, which is partly why most of them have created ‘coronavirus information hubs’ to do some of the filtering and fact-checking for users, and placed these resources at the top of all our social news feeds.”
Our website WalesOnline also has a group dedicated to providing factual information about coronvirus.
Matt added: “One of the other downsides to social media is its role in hoarding and panic buying, causing shortages of essential items for many. It’s human nature to protect oneself, and to have a sense of being in control during times of crisis.
“When people are endlessly scrolling through tweets and Facebook posts from people they trust sharing images of empty supermarket shelves, news about shops placing limits on the purchase of products, and sensationalist headlines about panic buying, it’s no surprise social media is a salvation for some, but a source of fear and worry for many others.”
However, it’s definitely not all bad. Social media has helped people in all aspects of life; from social interactions and working, to helping us keep on top of what information is legitimate.
Even at WalesOnline, we’ve launched virtual pub quizzes, so people can still enjoy themselves and feel a sense of community. And as Matt alluded to, video hangouts are becoming more common. From Google Hangouts with friends to work-based meetings, growth on these platforms is unprecedented.
He added: “While Facebook – like most social media platforms – has taken a big revenue hit due to brands pulling most of their advertising budgets, they have seen their muchridiculed Portal video chat device sell out around the world as people realise it’s exactly what they need when in lockdown at home and they want to feel closer to friends and family around the world, or even just around the corner. Even if it does mean letting Facebook have a camera in your home.”
According to the The Guardian, video conferencing app Zoom was also “downloaded 2.13 million times around the world on March 23, the day the lockdown was announced in the UK – up from 56,000 a day two months earlier.”
The estimated net worth of its founder is said to have increased by more than $4bn since the coronavirus crisis started.
And because of this, it seems businesses are surviving, where they might not have done so previously. One business owner said they see their clients face-to-face (on video chats) more than they ever used to just because it seems to be the done thing now, rather than a phone call.
Matt added: “Although social media is blamed for a long list of modern-day problems, it’s also a source of endless entertainment and escapism at a troubling time.
“Social media is bringing people together when the world feels like it’s falling apart.
“Social media is highlighting unexpected heroes who may have otherwise gone without recognition.
“Social media is inspiring people to just #bekind.
“We can only hope that these more positive aspects of social media are the ones that live on beyond the coronavirus pandemic, but I suspect many of the more dramatic shifts in how social media is currently being used will ultimately revert to their pre-virus ways.”
The acts of kindness Matt talks about are becoming such a common occurrence on social media that we’ve set up a positive daily blog, where we feed in just the good news, such is the quantity.
So where does that leave us once all of this is over? Will people be working from home for the foreseeable future, even after the outbreak?
Matt reckons there was already a trend in that direction before the pandemic. He said: “The unexpected mass shift to working-from-home was a trend that was already growing pre-coronovirus.
“This crisis has forced companies to adapt to this shift almost overnight.
“I think we will now see many employees push to keep this option longer term.
“It’s a win-win for many employer/ employee set-ups as it reduces costs of providing a workspace for staff, gives staff greater flexibility to manage their work/life balance, and more.
“The question will be asked that if it is possible to do it right now, it should be an option going forwards.”
He added: “Healthcare could also see changes, with a renewed enthusiasm for being able to access your doctor via video chat, and other related services online.
“Again, a change which was already being trialled within the NHS, which we may now see rolled out more widely, sooner.”
For more insight into social media trends, check out Matt’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/geekoutmattnavarra