Being known in the PhD program as being very interested in social media – both professionally and personally – has definitely been part of how people see me. I have really enjoyed working with and studying social media – it has been very insightful and constantly changing – which does make it very exciting. So, when my friends found out the the new Facebook movie “The Social Network” was not only opening and going to be in theatres, they decided that it was perfect timing right after my birthday. So, after it came out a week ago – I went to see the movie with a few of my friends. I would have to say that it was definitely an interesting movie to watch – since the main characters are still active in the social media realm, and Facebook is still evolving and who know where it will eventually end up. The movie presented an insight into the early years of the social networking phenomenon and background story of the founders and main individuals that influenced a major global culture icon. Facebook has really transformed how we communicate and interact virtually – whether it is for professional reasons or personal – it was interesting to see this perspective portrayed in film.
Like all stories, there are always two sides of the story. The movie does portray the CEO and Founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg in a very interesting light – and I am not sure how he may feel about this and how it impacts how he is perceived. The screenwriter of the film, Aaron Sorkin, discussed how there are many sides of the story, and here is what he stated in terms of his reasoning on why he wrote the screenplay as he did: “There were a number of different versions of the truth coming from three or four or five people. And rather than pick one and dramatize that, I wanted to dramatize the fact that there are three or four or five different versions of the truth. Everybody has their own version, and everybody is right, and everybody is wrong.” Some have stated that this film is a slap against Zuckerberg based on how the movie is portrayed – but Zuckerberg went ahead and took his staff go see the movie. Was this a PR move to show his human side after donating $100 million dollars to the New Jersey Schools, or was this a way to show people that he is willing to accept the movie? Was it a brilliant PR move for his image? Absolutely – by acknowledging the movie and accepting it – Zuckerberg would have come under more fire if he did not do this and more criticism and jabs would have arisen from it.
With this movie, public relations professionals can take away some take-away points from “The Social Network” and translate them in their own daily professional lifes. Based on seeing the movie, here were some of the key themes related to public relations that I took away:
- It does get lonely at the top – the higher you get up, more people want a piece of you:
Success creates envy and jealousy – and public relations professionals who are successful – whether it is in practice or research – have to recognize that recognition and praise are the benefits of success, but there is always the flip side to deal with. By being aware of this, you can strategize and be proactive on how to address this professionally.
- Be careful on what you say online – it is for the world to see.
The opening scenes in the movie do show the results of this – and it is not pretty for those that are affected. So, be aware that what you write, post, or comment online is not only for your friends to see – but the rest of the world can see it since it is for public viewing.
- Ideas can and have been stolen – it is not fun, but it happens.
It is a hard fact – there are people out there that have difficulty in creating new research lines or projects – and they try to steal someone’s idea. They might come away with it and be recognized with it – they might take all the credit and get the glory for your idea and hard work. So it is very important to be aware of this. People, especially in this tough economy, are looking at any way that they can move up in their positions – it is just good to be aware of this now and not be surprised if it happens in the future. However, what is important is the fact that people may steal your ideas, but they can’t steal your brain.
- True friends are hard to come by.
There are those that are your friends in the good times and bad – and there are those that are there only when you are powerful and successful. Understanding that the focus of friends should be on quality, not quantity, and make sure that you truly know who these individuals are is extremely important. Understanding this online and offline is essential for public relations professionals today. Who we interact with does shape our reputation and who we are. So, my suggestion is to invest and spend time with friends and family who are supportive and encouraging to you – and have your best interests at heart.
Anyway, these are just a few things that I took away from the movie. In summary, I think that for those public relations professionals who are active in social media – this is a movie that you all should see. Not only will it give you a side of Facebook and its background you might have not been aware of, but you can take away some key themes and lessons from it as well to apply in your own reputation management and public relations practices. Hope you all are having a wonderful day.
Best Wishes,
Karen
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