Utilizing social media at my daily work
My current job is emergency medical service (EMS) field supervisor. EMS field supervisor is an official and its main responsibility is upholding province’s emergency medical services situation awareness. In every province of Finland has atleast one EMS field supervisor around the clock. Responsibilities of EMS field supervisors is legislated in the Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health emergency medical services. So my main job is to uphold situational awareness of emergency medical services in Pohjois-Savo providence. Computers, push-to-talk radios and smart phone is my main digital tools I use through work day or night. Most of operating systems are in goverment security network and most of the external social media applications are not allowed. Sometimes I use Skype for quick information exchange in multi-authority work.
Outside goverment network my main digital tools are Teams and Secapp.
In my personal life in dont use traditional social media. I left that life behind in 2020 and deleted all my accounts. I use only instant message applications that are peer to peer protected.
Social media tools
Slack
I think this could be used to replace Teams as main digital workspace. Work community development projects and quality management can be run through this software. It provides multiple ways to keep connected to community. I would use this my main tool for internal communication.
Youtube, Vimeo and TikTok
Three most popular platforms to publish digital content. I would use these three platforms for external communication tools. Making useful educational videos for common people about emergency medical services and for PR-work. Sharing useful knowledge about EMS.
I would use this to improve professional connections and networking.
Social media PROS and CONS
Pros:
Staying connected across time zones and geographigal barriers. Keep in touch with family members, friends , collagues and acquaintances.ia
Access to news and current events. Real time news sources which are easy to spread though social media users.
PromotEs skill development via videosharing platforms. How-to-videos seem useful developing new skills.
Promotes education and sharing knowledge. As we see in this course, many of our course material is in videosharing platform.
Cons:
Loss of productivity through obsessive social media usage leading to reduced productivity.
Spreading misInformation. Fake news, propaganda and unverified data. Viral posts, videos and messages misguides users.
Oversharing information leads to compromising privacy and exposing individual to fraud.
Bullying and harassment. Digital devices and platforms and anonomIty provides opportunity to a person with malicious intentions. School bullying turning digital form.
Cause for depression and anxiety, obsessive self-presentation, social distancing and isolation, superficial connections and the list goes on and on.
Self reflection
Well, I thought I was done with the Social Media. Apparently I am not. For me the sosial media was facebook wall or meaningless pictures on Instragram. I use YouTube a lot for developing news practical skills as a homeowner. YouTube is a social media platform as good as any other. I do concume content in there, but I dont create or share content. In every video there is a discussion forum and people socialize there so there is media and social interactions = Social media.
When I was using Facebook I always thought that about 75% of my friends there promoted superficial connections.
However, social newtworking is and will be a part of society offering connectivity, access to information, personal branding, entertainment and provides business opportunities.
Responsible use of social media outweights its disadvantages, but it requires user self-discipline and safeguarding privacy. Veryfying information is the key to prevent spreading misinformation.
Technocrats like Zuckenberg and Musk, who own two biggest social media platforms Facebook and X (Twitter), ended their fact checking programs on their social media platforms. Their main reason is to allow speak more freely and rely on platform’s users to correct false and incorrect posting. Before ending fact checking was done by third party organizations. I have my doubts about users correcting each other on social media and think these decicions will increase the spread of misinformation. Remains to be seen. Facebook removed fact cheching in January 2025.
I have never considered traditional social media like Facebook etc. a working tool and I think it will stays the same for good time now on. I don’t see me sharing videos of my work days or tasks I manage in any public platform and I am sure that it is also illegal, so I don’t need the legal consequences. Promothing healthcare might have a good impact on social media and it reaches the youth and the isolated individuals. I watched my employers YouTube content and it had released eight videos so far in two and a half years. My employers videos have not reached me on my ”wall” on YouTube (propably now on they will). Content of videos varies, two videos promotes rescue services, one is pediatric surgical treatment pathway presented by hospital hospital clowns and rest of the videos are educational videos for the public about surgical methods, hygiene and day in the life-content. I give my support using social media for content made for educating common people or professionals.