Topic: Harmful Content

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Or...will they?

TikTok, the addictively simple video-sharing social media platform, was officially the most downloaded app of 2020. They beat out Facebook for the most downloads last year, which represents a three-spot jump for TikTok from 2019.

For leadership teams and boards, 2020 will be remembered as a time when chief communication officers stepped up and shined in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty. As brand communicators responded to the ever changing COVID-19 landscape, seamlessly pivoting strategy became the norm.

Sports exert a powerful influence on life, imparting values such as teamwork, perseverance, and fair play for those who participate and spectate. Pro sports have continued to step up and shine a bright light on the ongoing international movement for anti-racism and social justice.

It seems no good deed goes unpunished on social media.

Leadership is challenging in the best of times. Now, faced with a prolonged pandemic, an economic downturn, nationwide social justice protests, and unprecedented political divisiveness, even the most sophisticated brand leaders are struggling to navigate turbulent waters.

Even with life thrown out of whack by the pandemic, holiday shoppers experience a Pavlovian response when they hear those two little words, “Black Friday.”

Your company's reputation is a priceless asset. When the character and credibility of your brand are publicly called into question, the damage can have a lasting and dramatic effect on enterprise value.

Internet risks to your enterprise are no longer restricted to cybersecurity threats such as data breaches, phishing attacks, or ransomware. The future financial and reputational health of your organization is at risk simply by virtue of being online.

If you’re not looking for it, you may never see one red laser dot trained on your brand, but of course, you would notice 10 million of those dots. By then, though, it’s likely too late to avoid harm from an orchestrated, grassroots attempt to take down your brand.

It’s no secret that social media usage among consumers has increased, in some cases exponentially, since the beginning of the pandemic. As a result of COVID-19, people around the globe have been isolated from each other, compelling them to turn to online platforms for their social media interactions, and creating a surge in users and content. 

Think about who poses a credible threat to your brand. Did you include web-savvy bigots, soft-brained conspiracists, and grifters or opportunists affiliated with the alt-right?