Exploring situationally inappropriate social media posts: An impression management perspective

Abstract

Purpose

Social media technologies are used by many organizations to project a positive image of their strategies and operations. At the same time, however, there are an increasing number of reports of slip-ups linked to poor situational awareness and flawed self-presentations on social media platforms. The purpose of this paper is to explore the triggers of inappropriate social media posts.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected during a qualitative study of social media use in 31 organizations in the UK and interpreted using concepts from Erving Goffman’s theory of impression management.

Findings

The findings point to a series of demanding triggers, which increase the likelihood of insensitive and contextually inappropriate posts and also damage fostered impressions.

Originality/value

The authors identify four triggers linked to inappropriate social media posts, namely: speed and spontaneity; informality; blurred boundaries; and the missing audience. The authors also discuss how extending the notion of what Goffman refers to as “situation-like” encounters provides useful insights into impression management on social media.

Citation

Richey, M., Ravishankar, M.N. and Coupland, C. (2016), "Exploring situationally inappropriate social media posts: An impression management perspective", Information Technology & People, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 597-617. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-03-2015-0045