Social Media Etiquette Project


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Social Media Etiquette is the ability for someone to creating a positive and Respectful presence on any type of platform they are using (ex: Tik Tok, Instagram, etc). It involves being mindful of your audience and environment which ensures you aren't offending anyone. Lastly it includes verifying any type of information to make sure it is accurate while also making sure the creator balances their private and public life that helps build trust and credibility.

In 2018 H&M received widespread backlash due an advertisement of a young black boy to model a hoodie with the phrase “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle”. Monkey has historically been used as a racial slur towards African Americans making the ad racially insensitive. The problem could have been avoided by setting up a cultural review team to check the slogan's appropriateness. A stricter review process, informed by diverse perspectives, would ensure that advertisements are appropriate, inclusive, and respectful to all audiences.

To fix this backlash H&M would have to delete the post and issue a formal apology regarding its content (which they did). Then it would be best for them to engage with the community to gather their feedback and understand what they genuinely want to see, as well as establish and maintain a more serious internal review process for all future posts, ensure that all staff, particularly those in design and communications, receive sensitivity training. These actions would show that the company is committed to changing. An alternative method the company could have used is organizing a focus group to assess the advertisement. This group would include randomly chosen participants from diverse
demographic backgrounds that reflect the broader population. Such an approach would offer valuable feedback on how individuals outside the community perceive the ad. Separate focus groups could be employed for each advertisement to ensure adherence to proper social media etiquette. If it were a friend, I would inform them that the post was troubling and insensitive, as they might not have realized it. I would support them in correcting the mistake and recovering by ensuring they understand the issue. I would also encourage them to want to avoid repeating it and help them recognize how to identify and prevent similar situations in the future. 

VIDEOTHREADS: https://voicethread.com/myvoice/thread/31962390

Comments

  1. Amanda TagueNovember 30, 2025 at 6:38 PM

    Hi Jordan! I agree that H & M needed to gather more feedback before posting the image that they did. A lot of companies fail to realize that different audiences may notice things that others may not, and it is important to take into account all viewpoints when releasing a product or post. Big companies like H & M should definitely be utilizing more etiquette standards in the future!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mel GroffDecember 1, 2025 at 7:47 AM

    Hi Jordan,
    I liked how you chose to cover a company's ad campaign, as there is a reoccurring instance of companies ending up with microaggressions in advertisements. Having a review team is definitely a good idea to plan for things like this, which is one reason employment diversity is so important.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dakota GansertDecember 2, 2025 at 7:21 PM

    Hi Jordan, I vaguely remember when this situation occurred as I was very confused about how it was controversial. At the time I was not aware that was used as a racial slur, but once I read about it I was so shocked that the product and photo went through so many people and was still published. While I appreciate that it was taken down, it should not have occurred in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Evgeniya StalevaDecember 4, 2025 at 8:17 PM

    Hi Jordan, I agree with your post. A large clothing brands like H&M should have done more research and taken extra precautions to avoid the problem from the beginning. The phrase on the sweatshirt is offensive, and that explains why so many people were upset. A big companies should always think about how their message can hurt others, especially when it deals with racial history. I also agree with your opinion that if they had people from different backgrounds checking their ads, this problem could have been avoided.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kate ReillyDecember 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM

    Hey Jordan! I find it to be just absurd that anyone could create something like that and not realize how clearly racist it was. I really liked all of the ideas that you pointed out for how H&M could have avoided this problem, and I definitely agree that there should have been a review team to check whether or not it was appropriate.

    ReplyDelete

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