Ethical Social Media

Ethical Social Media is an online course offered by The University of Sydney. The class explores the ethical ramifications of the use of social media and can be beneficial for community managers, social media strategists, media and communications professionals, sociologists and students with related interests. An entry-level course, the class has no prerequisites beyond basic familiarity with social medial platforms.

Taught through a series of videos, Ethical Social Media can be completed entirely online. Students are given access to a series of modules that include a number of videos plus supplementary readings. At the end of each module, students are given one or more related assignments that will reinforce the concepts covered and assess mastery of the information. To successfully complete the course, students must receive passing grades on each assignment.

Ethical Social Media lasts for five weeks and requires a weekly time commitment of 2 to 3 hours for success. During the first week, students explore basic concepts of social media, including self-representation and online identity. The second week focuses on the collaborative practices of social media users. Students will find out who uses social media, how they put platforms to use and why they are motivated to share through these platforms. In the third week, the class moves on to discuss how media organizations are creating a participatory culture that encourages people to engage on social media. The fourth module deals with social media analytics, and the class culminates with an in-depth look at ethical concerns related to social media.