My position is:Due to the
worldwide
popularity of Social Networking, medical professionals should
have access to
their patients accounts to assess their health and provide
them with better
treatments that complement their lifestyles, while using SNS
to further their own
medical training.
Argument
#1: Clinical
engagement affects the privacy a person is
entitled to.
Social workers, "believed
that conducting a social media search on a client crosses an
ethical boundary for the professional. Even though a
client’s social media information may be “public,” they
perceived that the account itself is part of a client’s
private life and, therefore, is not something they should
engage with in the absence of client consent" (Byrne,
Kirwan, and Mc Guckin, 2019, p. 11).
Digital technologies can lead to the rise of
ethical issues in social work including, "privacy and
confidentiality, boundaries, dual relationships, and
conflicts of interest and practitioner competence" (Byrne,
Kirwan, and Mc Guckin, 2019, p. 11).
Argument #2: There is a grey
area regarding who is responsible for a misdiagnosed
individual.
"Researchers, lawmakers, suicide prevention
groups and companies are looking for new ways to contribute
to the suicide prevention effort. And advertisers may
increasingly pressure social media platforms to take
responsibility for content posted by users" (Lyons, 2019, p. 16).
Doctors, however, may be
reluctant to respond to information on SNS due to concerns
about professional boundaries. Acting in such a manner
starts a quasi doctor-patient relationship in which doctors
may be at increased risk of providing negligent
recommendations" (Maughan and Economou,
2015, p. 204).
Argument #3: Social media on
its own and disinformation spread by
nonprofessionals regarding health and
treatments can both negatively impact SNS
users.
"The
chief drawback of social media is that a
scientific subject can
be broadcasted anonymously or by an individual without
proper scientific
knowledge. Mainly, there is no systematic moderation and
control over the
distribution of the incorrect posts. Unprofessional
administrators may misguide
the users" (Fahimi, 2018, p. 802).
The more time adolescents
spend on screen activities, the more likely they are to be
depressed and suicidal (Maughan and Economou, 2015, p. 8).
Byrne, J.,
Kirwan, G., &
Mc Guckin, C. (2019). Social media surveillance in social
work: practice
realities and ethical implications. Journal of Technology
in Human Services,
37:2-3, 142-158, doi: 10.1080/15228835.2019.1584598
Database: Academic Search Complete
Fahimi,
F.
(2018). Social media: an innovative and effective tool for
educational and
Maughan, D., &
Economou, A. (2015). Social networking
sites: a clinical dilemma? Journal of Medical Ethics,
41(2), 203-205.
Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/43316797