Expert hoses down need for hard-hitting ads warning of dangers of social media

A social media expert has rejected a plan for a hard-hitting TV campaign warning Australians about the harms of foreign owned social media apps.

There are reports today the TV ads would raise the issue of data collection, and what it means to Australians.

But social media expert and founder of State of Social, Meg Coffey, played down the need for a so-called ‘Grim Reaper’ style of ad campaign akin to the AIDS ad campaign in the 1980s.

“If you use social media, people have your data, full stop.”

She said while Australians needed better “digital media literacy” around how to use apps, the effects, and where your data goes, she said it was not something she was concerned about.

“I think [the concern is] the access to the data. So what’s this app actually doing, what is it harvesting if the Chinese government has access to that information, what kind of profile are they building on you?

“I did laugh when I read the headline this morning, that’s scaremongering at its finest.”

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