Assignment task: Avoid Controversy, or Lean Into It?
Our textbook shows the many ways that businesses can make use of social media platforms to engage their customers. Similarly, individuals can also use social media to create a personal brand. At the same time, however, social media is the most volatile and risky place on the internet to be. It seems like every day we see a controversy about a politician, athlete, or entertainer who has posted something deemed inappropriate or offensive and gotten into trouble. Sometimes, all it takes is forwarding on or retweeting something that someone else has posted.
Controversies have become ubiquitous on social media because of divided national opinion on contentious issues including COVID policies such as vaccination and masking, racial justice matters related to policing, immigration policies and border security, election and voting laws, and many others. No matter which side of a controversial issue one takes, there will always be those who disagree vehemently.
For example, after the 2020 elections, many state legislatures passed laws to regulate voting, especially absentee or mail-in voting. Proponents of these new laws felt that mail-in voting, which became much more popular because of COVID concerns, could result in voter fraud, though there was no evidence to support the contention that any systemic or widespread fraud occurred in the 2020 election. Opponents of these new laws believe that their intent is to disenfranchise or underrepresent people of color, who are more likely to vote by mail. For example, in Georgia, the Election Integrity Act of 2021 regulated the number of election drop boxes, added identification requirements for absentee ballots, and forbid officials from handing out food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Opponents of the Georgia law also contend that the restrictions are aimed at reducing minority participation in elections, and the Department of Justice announced a lawsuit against Georgia on the grounds that the law was discriminatory.
After the Election Integrity Act was passed, Major League Baseball moved the All Star Game out of Atlanta to protest the new law. Two major corporations based in Georgia, Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines, condemned the new law harshly. In addition, a number of television shows and movies moved their productions out of Georgia in opposition to the new law. On the other side, those who favored the new law advocated boycotting the organizations who spoke out against it.
For our discussion this week, imagine that you are an independent filmmaker making a feature film in Georgia. Your budget is relatively modest, but you are employing dozens of people, including set decorators, makeup and hair stylists, costume makers, actors, camera operators, special effects experts, and many others. It would be costly and time-consuming to move the production to another state, and it would take away the livelihoods of many of the people working behind the scenes. You are concerned about the new voting law, but you feel like you are in a no-win situation. If you leave, you'll be criticized, and if you stay, you'll be criticized, too.
For your initial post by Wednesday, write a short message that could be shared on social media explaining your decision to either keep your film in Georgia or to move production out of the state. There is no right or wrong decision here, as this is a true ethical dilemma. Whatever your choice, provide reasons based on your ethical beliefs.