Dark Social: Understanding the Darker Side of Work, Personality and Social Media

(Hardback)

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Description

Shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2022 From Donald Trump's outrageous tweets to the impact of the GRU (Russia's military intelligence agency) on foreign elections, through to echo chambers and amplification by bots and networks - the negative side of social media is becoming ever more apparent. Now far removed from a comfortable landscape of cat videos and family pictures, social media is now open to exploitation from a range of sources, from disgruntled employees to 'fake news'. The negative impact of social media upon the workplace can have damaging consequences for businesses. Reputations can be ruined overnight, employees can manipulate social media feeds to their own advantage, and the boundaries between professional and personal social media conduct can become dangerously blurred. Dark Social is an approachable and widely applicable guide to the dangers of social media, and the steps that can be taken by businesses to avoid any negative consequences as a result of social media activity. Despite these risks, social media should not be neglected - it has become a fundamental part of business literacy and is now an essential element of any successful marketing & PR campaign. Drawing upon illustrative case studies and organizational psychology, Dark Social is a timely and fascinating insight into the darker side of social media.

Reviews

An essential guide to the angels and demons lurking within 21st century workplaces and virtual environments. -- Jessica Carson, Director of Innovation, American Psychological Association
MacRae reminds us that we ignore the dark side at our own peril In an era where so much time is spent both working and socializing in a virtual context, much can be learned from the research and insight delivered in this book. -- Roberta Sawatzky, Professor, Okanagan School of Business
A wonderfully nuanced exploration of our behaviour in person and in cyberspace I would heartily recommend this book to anyone who wishes to improve their working relationships and clean up their online persona. -- David Robson, science writer and author of 'The Intelligence Trap'
If you've ever wondered about the psychological cost of our culture of constant connection, this book is for you. -- Damita Pressl, news anchor and journalist, Kronen Zeitung
I haven't read a book that kept me glued to the pages like Dark Social I now realize it's imperative to pay close attention to work culture, both online and offline, and the potential consequences if ignored. -- Jesse Grunert, founder, Dovetail Digital and Director of Technology, Acro Media Inc.
The world has faced many shocks in the past decades and so its more important than ever to understand the brain, the mind and our behaviour how we can deploy both analytical thinking and social and emotional skills to optimise brain performance. In Dark Social, Ian MacRae effectively exposes these vital issues. -- Harris A. Eyre MD PhD and William Hynes DPhil, co-leaders of the Neuroscience-inspired Policy Initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
MacRae adds to the debate through the use of contemporary lenses and eye-opening case-studies; the effect is an approachable, fascinating and uniquely sinister backstage insight into toxicity and the impacts of extreme personalities on teams and organisations. Virtual is very real! -- Lieutenant Colonel Rich Green, Commanding Officer, 2 (Training) Regiment, Air Army Corps

Author Bio

Ian MacRae is a work psychologist and psychometrician, and he works as a research consultant and speaker across Europe and North America. Ian has a BA (Hons.) in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and an MSc Research Methods in Psychology from University College London. He has written six books about workplace psychology including High Potential: How to Spot, Manage and Develop Talented People at Work, and his books have been translated into ten different languages.