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Going viral The internet can
Information about the ‘Reclaiming Birth’ rally reached large numbers of people quickly
be a tool for mass mobilisation, says Valerie Gommon
I
certainly wouldn’t consider myself to be particularly computer literate – in fact in many ways I’m a bit of a technophobe – but I have to say I’m quite a fan of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. As an independent midwife, I consider social networking a useful medium for communicating with potential clients, midwives and lay professionals. It is instant and free, enabling information to be disseminated quickly and easily. I use Twitter, Facebook and my blog to communicate my thoughts and ideas – for example, I have written about cloth nappies, planning a pregnancy and sex after childbirth. Social networking is also a way to advertise events that I am involved in – for example, I organise antenatal exhibitions – and promote events such as National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. This may enable potential clients to find me, but I also see it as part of my health promotion/ education role as a midwife. Additionally, I have been contacted by women I cared for many years ago which has been lovely. Many of you will know that Twitter is a social media site and it is claimed that 11 per cent of online adults use Twitter or a similar service to update their status online(Morgan 2009). Facebook has more
Don’t forget respect, says Jennifer Hall
26
July/August 2010
than 400 million active users and the site claims that 50 per cent log on on any given day. It is obvious, therefore, that this medium has the potential to reach vast numbers of people.
Going viral One of the main benefits of this phenomenon is what is known as ‘viral’ marketing. An example of this is the recent very successful virtual International Day of the Midwife (IDM) event organised by Sarah Stewart and Deborah Davis (@IDM2010 on Twitter, Facebook www.facebook.com/ pages/The-Virtual-International-Day-ofthe-Midwife-May-5-2010/288941025829 and Wikispaces http://internationaldayof themidwife.wikispaces.com/). The IDM event was arranged and publicised through the address book of the organisers whose contacts in turn publicised it on their networks and so on. As a result, the event was supported by midwives from many different countries. Similarly, information about the ‘Reclaiming Birth’ rally, organised in London last March, reached large numbers of people quickly.
Women could receive snippets of health promotion information broadcast by midwives; indeed, this may already be happening and may prove to be a popular and accessible format for young women who are used to using this medium of contact. A word of caution. As midwives, we must be mindful that anything we write must meet the requirements of our Midwifery Code (NMC 2008) and ensure that we do not breach confidentiality. We must remember that everything we write is in the public domain and should be treated as such. TPM Valerie Gommon is an independent midwife www.3shiresmidwife.co.uk Contact Valerie: Twitter: @midwifevalerie Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/ValerieGommon-Midwifery-Practice/ 323174602411 http://midwifevalerie.wordpress.com/
References Morgan J (2009). ‘Twitter demographics’. Available at www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/78505
The future I can envisage how social networking can become part of the maternity services.
I
joined one of the social networking sites a while ago for the key reason of ‘keeping a watchful eye’ on my teenagers and also, very quickly, their friends in the community. They and I have learnt very quickly that their words and antics via photos are broadcast widely and mothers can pick up on these things! It is this that has raised concerns for me recently. We are all human beings and it means ‘dirty linen’ can be aired in public very quickly. What is put on the site can be seen by many people inadvertently and you cannot control what others copy onto their site. In addition joining a group
NMC (2008). The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives, London: NMC.
site can add further complications. There has been a growth recently of sites that are meant to be humorously pretending to be from a particular professional group. They range across the medical, midwifery, education and management. To be honest I joined a couple of these recently related to midwifery as they were funny. But there then came some posts that were less funny and were becoming offensive about women in our care. The original posts were borderline but the responses that were then made by, presumably, members of our profession from around the globe,
THE PRACTISING MIDWIFE ■ VOLUME 13 NUMBER 7
