Building Trust in Social Media

Social media refers to the tools which allow a message to be communicated explicitly through an electronic or digital source. Networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are examples of social media tools that permit instant communication rather than have to pick up a phone and wait for a response or schedule a physical meeting to relay a message. This allows for more effective communication and eases the barrier for those who get uncomfortable in face to face situations. Unfortunately, many members of social networking sites experience lack of trust between the site and their own self-interest. People feel as if they cannot send out a group invitation publicly without drawing a bad crowd. Posting pictures has become a problem for many users who have insecurities. Facebook allows a user to post pictures of their friends with the option to report the picture inappropriate;the picture usually remains up and no one from the team contacts you. Circumstance's like these cause users to trust less. Companies are starting to ask customer's feedback through online surveys and discussion boards. Starbucks for example, has a "My Idea Website" on which coffee drinkers can submit new drink ideas and improvements they would like to see take place at Starbucks. Many people come across this site and other large brand sites with a reluctance to share an opinion because they feel as if they're just one opinion amongst many in the social space. So much feedback is submitted yet the majority remain not reviewed contributing to the lack of trust. In the technological world, whether it be a company site or a networking site, the issue of trust must be dealt with. Rather than focusing so much on advertising or trying to reach out to the user the needs of the individual should be catered to. If Facebook had more customizable features rather than generalized selection tools, a user may not be as reluctant to sent out that event invitation. In addition users would feel more comfortable about taking photos with their friends knowing that the picture could be taken down at their request for whatever reason they deem it hurtful. If Starbucks worked more intimately with their online community and actually reviewed all of the suggestions of consumers even if they do not approve of them, maybe Starbucks patrons would feel like they had more of a voice and trust more in the Starbucks name. These issues all relate to the absence of trust and are critical in improving relationships between individuals.