Some people are describing the current social networking craze as a fad. It’s all the rage right now, but it will be gone as soon as the next big thing captures popular attention.
Others suggest it is no less than a communications revolution, pointing out the staggering speed with which interactive sites such as Facebook and Twitter have permeated and connected not just our domestic culture, but societies the world over.
Indeed, I learned recently (from a You Tube video, of course) that, as compared to other more primitive modes of message transmission such as radio—which took 38 years to reach 50 million users—television—which took 13 years to do the same—and even the iPod—which took all of three years—Facebook reports that it added 100 million users in less than nine months.
Everyday Use
That is growth on an astounding scale.
It’s not surprising then that nearly 90% of 12- to 17-year-olds use social networks every day, according to the recently released 2009 Junior Achievement/Deloitte Teen Ethics survey.
Their use is so widespread and they have become so central to the lives of young people, in fact, that 58% of teens would consider whether or not they could access a social network at work when weighing the pros and cons of a job offer.
Indeed, social networks may be to the incoming workforce what the telephone and cell phone were to earlier generations: Technology that is so fundamental to communication that it’s hard to imagine life without it.
The Junior Achievement/Deloitte Teen Ethics survey was conducted to explore the ethical implications of the social media onslaught and, unfortunately, it did reveal some cause for concern.
Among other findings, the survey revealed that many teens do not consider how others—particularly those who could influence their lives—might react to their postings.
Specifically, 40% do not consider the potential reactions of college admissions officers, 38% do not consider the reactions of present or future employers, and 30% do not consider their parents’ reactions.
Those statistics take on even more meaning in light of the findings of another ethics and workplace survey, also conducted recently by Deloitte, which found that more than a third of adult respondents also rarely, if ever, consider what their bosses, colleagues or clients would think when they post comments, photos or videos online.
Ethicist David Miller of the Princeton University Faith and Work Initiative says this is a signal that training in ethical decision making is not only vital, but should start at a young age.
With social media—which allows for masses of messages to be sent in split seconds—the potential for missteps is high. That, coupled with a lack of reflection on the potential effects of one’s actions, can be risky business for anyone in the workplace—teens and adults alike—as the risks to corporate reputation, proprietary information and productivity can be considerable.
Tomorrow’s Leaders
In short order, today’s teens will be tomorrow’s doctors, lawyers, police officers, airplane pilots, judges, auto mechanics, teachers and civic leaders. The choices they make in those roles will affect us all. Whether they are online, on the phone or in person, teens need guidance in learning to make decisions that have ethical consequences.
As a member of the Orange County business community, I believe it is in our best interest to help deliver that guidance and to provide the positive role models teens need.
Fad or revolution, social networking is increasingly integral to the lives of today’s teens, not to mention millions of adults. And whether they access it on or off the job, its use does have ethical implications. The business community must adapt to this changing communication landscape and help to ensure tomorrow’s workforce has the tools and training to make the right choices, whether on or offline.
Lucenti is the Orange County office managing partner for Deloitte LLP. Deloitte has underwritten Junior Achievement’s “JA Business Ethics” and “Excellence through Ethics” programs, which teach young people about responsible, ethical behavior.
