IPG Mediabrands and Magna’s latest Media Responsibility Index suggests social media platforms have finally taken security and privacy more seriously. At least, more seriously than before.
Snap was rated higher than all other social media platforms based on effort in protecting people from misinformation.
The Media Responsibility Index rates platforms based on several key metrics: safety, sustainability, data ethics and inclusivity.
Overall, the latest index shows social media platforms improving in all key areas, but not at the same pace.
While there has been a noticeable upswing in how diligently social media platforms treat important social and privacy issues, they’re nowhere near broadcast and cable’s safety ratings.
Since they have been around for quite a long time, industry regulations have been able to keep up with technology, at least to an extent. The same cannot be said about the internet.
The rate at which misinformation spreads and avoids watchful regulatory eyes has been alarming for the largest part of the 21st century. For most of that time, social media platforms were quick to dismiss mounting concerns regarding data ethics and privacy, and disregard very real consequences for individuals as baseless.
In 2020, Mediabrands launched the Media Responsibility Index in a bid to hold social media brands accountable for the content appearing on their platforms.
It aimed to measure and reduce the harmful effects stemming from platforms’ lack of initiative in combating misinformation.
According to the latest Media Responsibility Index, Snapchat outperforms all other social media platforms in its efforts to shield people from misinformation. Publisher diligence is at the center of Snap’s admirably high ratings, suggesting that it is possible to fight misinformation when companies set aside enough resources to do so.
Besides Snapchat, some of the other “winners” of the responsibility index include TikTok, which scored higher in brand safety and children’s well-being, and YouTube, which reigned supreme in online video inclusivity.
Eileen Kiernan, Global CEO of Mediabrand, stated in a press release that brands are already vested in environmental and social paradigms that define the current era.
“Our clients are increasingly pursuing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria within their own businesses and we are providing a resource to support these goals along with advocating for stronger, safer standards in media,” Kiernan said.
Projects such as Media Responsibility Index instill hope that massive businesses will be held to account, resulting in much-needed transparency for all.
