Are Social Networks Highlighting Our Disconnections?

This conversation has shown me that there’s a clear divide that I wasn’t sure existed widely before. This broad/vague snapshot and conversation involving tenants and managers crystallises a clear space between two virtually opposing views. Interesting. We need to say more. Much more. — Phil Murphy

Thought I’d highlight a fascinating thread that started as a debate between people working in housing about tech disruption before spiralling into a meditation on the balance of power between social landlords and tenants.

The comment I made , a little rashly perhaps, was meant to question the relative importance of this thing we call ‘engagement’ in people’s lives. I’m constantly hearing about the importance of co-production, co-design and co-creation on Twitter (mostly from co-producers, co-designers and co-creators) but I’ve never heard it mentioned down the pub.

In retrospect it sounded like I was being dismissive and that certainly wasn’t the intention — the debate rightly highlighted the disconnect that can occur between people who shape services, and those who end up paying for them.

What social media does very effectively is highlight where friction occurs. Nowhere is that friction more evident than when people in housing, health and social care cast themselves , often unintentionally, as professionals and experts to be listened to.

Our choice of language , our jargon, how we respond and when — is becoming critical.

In the early days of social media , organisations pretty much got away with it. They could issue flattering stories, they could engage in ‘professional’ twitter chats in what were relatively safe spaces.

No more.

The digital age is disrupting the accepted rules of trust. No longer is a relationship solely between citizen and institution. What was once a fairly binary one to one relationship behind closed doors is now conducted within a much wider social and public context.

Today, many users of public services have far more social influence, bigger followings even, than our organisations.

Social media may not yet be shifting the balance of power — but it’s certainly shining a torch on where power is held and how it behaves.