Leg 100

DARRELL HENRY LEG100 DOROTHY SLIBEN 5/21/2013

In this paper, I will establish how Facebook utilizes the four components of a legally astute social media marketing manager who utilizes social media outlets for consumer transactions and how each component can mitigate the risk involved in doing business in cyberspace. Additionally, it will list and analyze methods of alternative dispute resolution and determine which would be most effective in resolving genuine disputes that arise with consumers who may make purchases from businesses that provide links via social media. I will also determine how the federal government can best control these transactions, since consumer transactions on social media can occur across state lines. I will also examine the three (3) branches of government and discuss which can make the most significant impact on regulating consumer transactions via social media outlets. Finally, I will explain the agency relationship that exists on social media sites between the social media provider and businesses that utilize the site for advertising.

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook is a very popular social media site in which users can share their ideas and feelings about events in an open environment. These musings are known as “statuses”. Additionally, the site is used to share pictures, videos, and other points of individual interest with the rest of the world, or at least the selected personnel that are able to view your profile. A growing trend, however, is the use of Facebook as a social media marketing area. There are several homegrown and populated sites that are dedicated to the sale of items or services. It is through this newly established media power, that many entrepreneurial individuals have been able to establish themselves a social media Facebook (www.facebook.com) is the most popular social networking site where individuals and companies can interact and share information. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet (Facebook Company Overview).
While Facebook has become a more popular American past time than baseball, 80% of active monthly users are outside of the United States and Canada. Global and national users are split nearly 50/50 between male and female users. More than half global users are between the ages of 18 and 34. 65% of Facebook users only access the site when they’re not at work or school. The three biggest usage spikes tend to occur on weekdays at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET (Warren, 2010). According to one report by Nucleus Research, 77% of workers who have a Facebook account use it during work hours, 87% of which is for personal use (Gaugin, 2009).
According to Facebook.com (2012), there were more than 425 million monthly active users who used Facebook mobile products in December 2011. This shows that active users use their wireless devices and cell phones to use Facebook virtually wherever they are throughout the day.
Facebook’s Effect on Organizational Behavior the numbers presented above regarding Facebook users are staggering and therefore, it serves that there is a huge impact on company workers and organizational operations in general. These implications include: 1) Staff productivity, “If every employee in a 50-employee company spent 30 minutes on social networking every day of a working week, that would total a cumulative productivity loss of 6,500 hours in one year” (Social networking at work: Thanks, but no thanks?). Threat from internet viruses and malware transmitted through social networking sites which can corrupt files and give external persons outside of the organization access to sensitive information.