The Social Media and Rotary’s universe Part 1

More than 50 different social networks are identified nowadays between the most used with a great variety of uses and different number of users, reaching some of them like Facebook to more than one billion of active users. The popularization and constant growth of these networks implemented new relationship practices between their users. It is difficult to find in current times, someone who do not have their profile in some of these open networks, who became as a consequence, part of the daily routine of these people.

In Rotary these relationships imply a dynamic yet not totally assimilated and that need to be understood to, at the same time use the benefits of this acceleration on the relationships, and also the ethical responsibility of its correct use, with consciousness that this important daily use be executed with maturity and becomes valid in this virtual ambience created by these social networks.

In relation to The Rotary Foundation they can become valuable channels of comprehension, learning and networking. Finding partners, maintaining them up to date with the evolution of joint projects and grants, is now enriched, swifter and with amplified content of information exchanged. The broadcasting of completed and successful projects with great impact on the community can and must be inserted in social media to increase the knowledge of our work and the understanding of the meaning of our brand, because it is by showing and telling what we do that we are going to attract more responsible citizens to join us in doing good in the world.

We must also consider that publications on these networks in a in a careless and sometimes in an even irresponsible way can expose the original user or facts and people mentioned on these publications, to uncomfortable and sometimes offensive situation. Information or small notes published in sites of relationship, given their wideness and the speed of the spread of information that they allow, must be inserted with consciousness and understanding of these attributes. The ethical principles expressed on The Four Way Test which we believe in and fight for, must be always in the back of our minds and be communicated in all times with the public we may be in touch with, to exemplify them with adequate attitudes while using the available social media.

The reach of virtualized information shall in our case be well understood by each Rotarian and by our organization. Some basic criteria and relationship rules must be followed. And observed.

It is inadequate to recommend to anyone not to be part of these efficient channels of communication. They have an immense potential and their relevance in current days also in Rotary are immense. The questions that require our permanent evaluation is to how use them effectively and generate in the future good proactive and not problematic results.