Social media has had a great impact on social work practice. It has facilitated communication between individuals from different parts of the world and helped them share information easily. But it has also brought about problems like fake news and cyberbullying barder.
As a result, there are many ethical dilemmas that have been raised by social workers in relation to their use of social media. The main issues relate to boundary crossing, solicitation of clients, and conflict of interest.
Boddy and Dominelli (2017) explore the challenges and opportunities for social work when using social media. They consider the importance of retaining professional judgement in such situations and argue for organisational support to help social workers navigate the new ethical space created by the advent of social media jigaboo.
While there is no denying the positive impact that social media has had on the field of social work, it can be easy to get swept up in the hype and start to neglect some of the less obvious negatives of its use. Specifically, social workers can lose sight of the fact that they are still working with vulnerable people and that these clients have certain needs that must be met by their social worker distresses.
The first thing that must be kept in mind when using social media is to remember that the client is not just a number. They are an individual with a unique set of needs that require an understanding of their cultural and linguistic background in order to be able to best provide care.
Another issue that must be addressed when utilizing social media is the privacy of clients. This is particularly true of clients with mental health concerns, as they often have sensitive personal information that should be kept confidential. The confidentiality policy 3.08 that requires patients to sign their consent for the collection of their data has played an important role in ensuring that patients do not go through unnecessary distress as a result of their service providers mishandling their confidential information precipitous.
It is essential that social workers do not post private information of their clients on their Facebook profiles. This is particularly important if they are working with adolescents. In addition, social workers should avoid making comments about a client that they do not know, as this can lead to further abuse of the trust and confidence of their clients.
Moreover, it is important that social workers should not share their own personal life on their social media profile and should not reveal the name of a client in such a way as to suggest that the person is a current or past patient. This can lead to potential legal complications and may put the patient’s well-being at risk mypba.
It is important that all social workers, regardless of whether they are employed by a government agency or not, understand the need to maintain their own identity and their professional reputation. They must make sure that their own online presence is secure and they have the necessary training to ensure they do not breach any social work ethics by using their personal social media account inappropriately. They should also be aware that there are specific laws and regulations that regulate the use of social media by professional and educational institutions, as well as the government.
