As of October 2023, the new Online Safety Bill has become law in Britain. Its effects are yet to be seen, but it certainly addresses growing concerns, particularly by parents and teachers, that young people are increasingly being exposed to potentially damaging and seemingly unregulated social media content. But in a world where the digital landscape is constantly shifting, anyone hoping to monitor or regulate social media will have their work cut out for them.

Social Media Platforms and Messaging Services

While some may have Orwellian fears about being watched online, social media monitoring is nothing new. Social media platforms have long embraced content moderation as a critical tool, ensuring that user content adheres to community standards, which not only keeps the digital environment safe but also tailors the user experience through targeted advertising and boosts engagement. From a governance perspective, monitoring these platforms is crucial for identifying and mitigating potential data breaches, thus protecting national interests and individual privacy. For businesses, the strategic advantage of social media monitoring cannot be overstated; it equips them with insights into consumer sentiment and feedback. This intelligence is pivotal for businesses to remain agile, responsive, and aligned with market demands. Moreover, academic researchers harness social media data to enrich their studies, adding depth and relevance to their findings. Overall, social media monitoring serves as a multifaceted tool that, when wielded responsibly, can enhance user experience, bolster cybersecurity, and provide businesses with a competitive edge in understanding and engaging with their audiences.

Messaging services on the other hand pride themselves on their commitment to privacy. WhatsApp boasts of its end-to-end encryption, stating on its website that “not even WhatsApp can access the content of your communications”. The implications of the new UK law have seen WhatsApp threaten to withdraw its services in the country.

How Does Social Media Monitoring Work?

Many companies specialize in providing social media monitoring services to benefit businesses. These companies offer valuable insights, data, and tools to help organizations improve their online presence, enhance customer engagement, manage their reputation, and make data-driven decisions. Here are some ways these companies operate for the benefit of businesses:

1.     Comprehensive Data Collection: Social media monitoring companies collect and aggregate vast amounts of data from various social media platforms. This data includes posts, comments, mentions, and interactions related to a brand, product, or topic.

2.     Sentiment Analysis: They use advanced sentiment analysis tools to assess the sentiment behind social media mentions. This helps businesses understand how their audience feels about their products or services, allowing for proactive responses to negative sentiment or reinforcement of positive feedback.

3.     Competitor Analysis: Social media monitoring companies can also track and analyze the online presence and sentiment of competitors. This information is crucial for identifying market trends, benchmarking against industry rivals, and uncovering opportunities.

4.     Customized Reporting: These companies generate customized reports and dashboards that provide actionable insights. Businesses can visualize data, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and make informed decisions based on real-time analytics.

5.     Crisis Management: Social media monitoring services assist businesses in identifying potential crises or reputation-damaging situations. Early detection enables timely responses and helps in minimizing the impact of negative events.

6.     Customer Engagement: They offer tools to engage with customers directly on social media platforms, facilitating timely responses to inquiries, comments, and feedback. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

7.     Influencer Identification: Many companies help businesses identify and connect with influencers who can promote their products or services to a broader audience.

8.     Content Strategy: Social media monitoring can inform content strategy by identifying trending topics and conversations. This helps businesses create relevant and engaging content that resonates with their target audience.

9.     Customer Feedback Analysis: Social media monitoring companies analyze customer feedback to provide insights for product development and improvements. This feedback can be invaluable in enhancing products or services.

10.  Ad Campaign Optimization: By tracking social media mentions and engagement, businesses can assess the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns and adjust their strategies to maximize ROI.

11.  Audience Insights: Social media monitoring tools often provide demographic and geographic information about an audience. This information helps businesses tailor their messaging and target specific customer segments effectively.

12.  Regulatory Compliance: Reputable social media monitoring companies operate within legal and ethical boundaries, ensuring compliance with privacy and data protection regulations.

Businesses need to choose a social media monitoring company that aligns with their specific goals and budget. These services can be particularly beneficial for staying competitive, building a positive online reputation, and adapting to changing market dynamics in the digital age.

The Role of AI

In trying to regulate the online world, legislation will always struggle to keep up with fast-paced technological developments. Once a law is committed to paper, it may need constant revision to keep up with a constantly evolving digital landscape. Take, for example, the case of AI. The UK government first proposed its new law in 2017, when AI did not exist in its current form. It remains to be seen whether AI will make it easier or harder to monitor social media networks. On the positive side, AI may be used to automate and improve content regulation; identify trending topics and anomalies in the online conversation to root out terror threats, or even to detect and help to manage developing crises worldwide. 

Less benignly, AI could also be used by bad actors to make social media even harder to regulate. Think for example of the potential to create fake or manipulative content that’s hard to disprove. AI could also amplify the algorithm’s extremist content; create deepfakes; or use its tracking capabilities to infringe on users’ legitimate rights to privacy.

It’s important to acknowledge these real concerns and challenges when it comes to monitoring social media. Despite these challenges, social media monitoring remains a valuable tool for businesses and organizations to understand their audience, manage their online reputation, and make data-driven decisions. Addressing these challenges involves a combination of technology, strategy, ethics, and ongoing adaptation to the ever-changing social media landscape.