Work-Integrated Learning training for Public Relations students at University of Johannesburg (UJ) Community Engagement

Gender Based Violence And Its Influence On The Practise Of Corporate Social Media

One of the most prevalent human rights abuses worldwide is gender-based violence. It refers to violence committed against a person because of their gender. Men and women are both impacted by it, but I believe that women and girls are the most sufferers and victims of it.

Social media has the power to alter the behaviours that lead to gender-based violence. The widespread use of social media has significantly affected gender-based violence, both negatively and constructively.

Positive impacts of social media on gender-based violence
 

Social media is widely used to receive news and share information to many people irrespective of where they live. This enables the public to voice out their issues for help and allows rooms for opinions and views on current affairs affecting the same people. It can also prevent gender-based violence by: - 

• Giving awareness 
• Influence and mobilize people 
• Finding out the root cause of the issue, talking out and educating people about the issue and promoting the action plan to tackle the issue.

Negative impacts of social media on gender-based violence 

Social media can be a platform that promotes gender inequality and discrimination leading to gender-based violence by: - 

• Sending out hate comments and violent insults 
• Objectifying women and girl and sexualizing them 
• Stalking 
• Hacking and 
• Catfishing 

 

Gender-based violence takes a huge toll on a person’s physical and psychological well-being. Everyone is eligible for the right to safety and security regardless of their gender, race, shape, sexuality et cetera. 

The Influence of Cancel Culture In The Practise of Corporate Social Media

Cancel culture deals with people who fail to conform to societal norms by saying problematic stuff.

In this context, the term "cancel culture" refers to the practice of publicly calling out individuals, whether they be public figures, brands, or celebrities, and requesting that the public cease supporting them as a result of their problematic actions, such as disseminating inappropriate or offensive content on social media or simply associating themselves with things that the public finds repugnant and unacceptable.

Due to social media's potential to reach a large audience with a single post within a notably short amount of time after it has been uploaded, it has been crucial for the cancellation process to be as successful. This clarifies the relationship between social media and cancel culture even further.

The influence of cancel culture in public relations

 

Public relations strive on building a good reputation for their representative and maintaining a positive public image for a brand or organization and cancel culture can simultaneously act as a big brand breaker. This means that a brand can lose a massive number of supporters due to how social media is widely used. 

How could PRPs respond to such occurrences? 

• Public relations practitioners should always have a backup plan as per their responsibility. 

• They should always understand that an organization’s reputation is their number one priority and so should always try to put it at their forefront. 

• And lastly but not least, they should always be prepared for problems to build up in the most unexpected times and be able to find ways around them in that instance. 

It is very crucial for a public relations practitioner to always have a plan in place for whenever a crisis rises. This will enable them to always have a way out even on issues they would have never thought they could tackle. Planning out a response before these problems even attempt to rise will also reduce some of the stress and not knowing what to do when that time comes from the equation.