Gamification.

In no way or form would I describe myself as a "gamer"unless that includes playing a round of Scattergories or Apples to Apples. Growing up we weren't allowed to play video games of any kind so it never became a big thing for me. Later on when my parents gave my brothers and I a computer to share for our school work and leisure activities I started to play interactive games of about Arthur or the Magic school bus, educational and fun for my age. As our generation has grown up and seen the virtual world explode, looking back I can see that it was building.

Does anyone remember Neopets? A virtual world for your virtual pets ( that never seemed to die even if you didn't feed them). Friends and I spent hours playing, trying to gain more and more points to be able to afford bigger and better things in this virtual world. As Neopets decreased in popularity, companies created concrete toys that include a virtual wold access when purchasing the toy. Have you ever heard of Webkinz?

Whenever I walk into toy stores today, this idea of gaming for young children has only grown. Most toys include a username and password into a virtual world. With more toy purchases the more you gain in the "free" virtual world.

Every year Mcdonalds uses gamification to endorse its product through a game of monopoly. Other than more concrete and visual examples of this like Roll up the Rim there are so many aspects of gamification in our lives today that we don't even realize. Reading about it online I discovered that something like Linkedin, a social media platform has aspects to keep users coming back. Growing your connections is a competition among peers as well as trying to strengthen your profile strengths and endorsements. By using the aspect of gaming, companies are able to build their followers and keep them coming back. What's wrong with friendly competition right?

The Time is Now.

As media and technology students, we constantly overlook the factor that many people do are not aware of the benefits and consequences of social media. What we can and cannot post, what we can say and do we have learned through growing up in this technological age. So if were using social media, why wouldn't employees at companies be using it too? I believe its naive to think that a social media policy is not necessary in the developed world today. I will be discussing the risks of not having a policy, how employees should be made aware of this policy and why it is so important to instate a social media policy today.

Many people feel that their social media account is their personal journal and don't think about who may see what is posted. In the journalism industry many reporters, anchors have gotten in trouble from their own thoughts posted on their professional accounts. Unless accounts make viewers away that these are their own personal thoughts and do not reflect the company, they are associated with the company and therefore can be fired for their actions. This is an article highlighting a couple reporters for well known news stations that were fired for their poor choices. http://www.mediabistro.com/10000words/8-journalists-who-were-fired-for-tweeting-part-1_b4136

For my program in Media, Theory and Production we were strongly encouraged to create a twitter account to stay up to date on the news. Next year when I'm back at Fanshawe we are directed to have our accounts attached to XFM News. Many students create separate accounts for the station so that they aren't at risks for their own personal tweets. If you slipped up you wouldn't be fired but it would not looked up on favourably with the growth of twitter and the amount of people that view XFM tweets on a daily basis.

As companies start to create their own social media policy's all employees must be made aware. This benefits the company for more employees following policy as well as employees will be knowledgable on their choices they make while using social media. I believe that having a training session on how to use tools like twitter and facebook is just as important as explaining the policy. As social media is always changing, annual or semi annual reviews should be given for all employees in the company. Though the marketing department may use social media more to promote the company, most individuals today have social media and should be made aware so that the company doesn't face public embarrassment.

For example by HMV not being careful with who was in control of their twitter account a mass firing spree started a social media explosion. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/hmv-employee-goes-rogue-tweets-from-mass-firing/article8047181/

Last year someone tweeted insensitive remarks on Kenneth Cole's account and ended up receiving alot of heat.

With one in thirteen people with a Facebook account, most everyone has a voice online that can be used to benefit the company or disgrace them.  Though companies can ban employees from not using social media at work, is it really possible? With social media apps on smart phones and facebook and twitter buttons on almost every website, is this a realistic goal. Social media can benefit the conversation within markets greatly as long as they are constant. With strict social media rules will it not just cut off the conversation. The solution is to educate all employees and give them the knowledge to represent the company they are working for in the appropriate way.