anti-social media

Risk Perception Management bvba

Anti-Social Media

How the game is changing,… and the challenges for

industry

David Zaruk

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

A tale of two Davids

2013: 72 kg2006: 92 kg

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Obesity is a complex crisis

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Which can be easily simplified

David’s Wall of Blame

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Everyone has their book to sell

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

This would be funny, except …

… Regulators are listening

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Social Media is changing the game

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Trust is in the hands of my network

Trust in authorities and business at an all time low We trust our friends, our social circles Social media is tightening (narrowing) our silos We surround ourselves with like-minded “friends” Confirmation bias (facts don’t matter) Works as an emotional support system (share,

favourite, like, curate, pin …) We need a dark force to act against. Industry?

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Social Media Trends

Focus is on me, my friends Silos reduce dialogue Anti-lobbying (highlighting COIs) Anti-business (denormalisation) Viral campaigns reach light speed Pro-nature (against synthetics, processing, GMOs) I want to feel good about myself (blame others)

This leads to a serious challenge for the food industry

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

How do we deal with this?

Do nothing? Reinterpret the data? Put more resources into

social media? Blame the governments? Lobby smarter? Rebuild trust? Voluntary initiatives? Stress the positives? Respond with science/facts? Ridicule the activists?

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Or do we

bully them

?

David Zaruk PhD - Risk Perception Management bvba - Groenstraat 17, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium - david.zaruk@riskperception.eu

Thank you

david.zaruk@riskperception.eu