THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA LISTENING

ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, CRISES, AND HATE SPEECH

Luca LamorteSocial Media ManagerUN Migration Agency (IOM)

OUR MISSIONIOM is committed to the

principle that humane and orderly migration benefits

migrants and society.

SOCIAL MEDIA IN 2018

• 250+ corporate accounts

• 3.5 million followers

• 600,000+ comments

• 90% negative response rate

WHY IS SOCIAL MEDIA LISTENINGCRUCIAL FOR IOM?

WHAT IS THE GLOBAL COMPACT FOR MIGRATION?

• The first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement covering all dimensions of migration.

• A non-binding document that respects states' sovereignty.

• An opportunity to improve migration governance.

• A Framework to support international cooperation on migration.

(February 5, 2018)

(July 11, 2018)

PHASE ICONSULTATIONS

APR-NOV 2017

PHASE IISTOCKTAKING

DEC 2017-JAN 2018

PHASE IIIINTERGOVERNMENTAL

CONSULTATIONSFEB – JUL 2018

Zero Draft

Final draft of the GCM

MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN

AUG-DEC 2018

SEPT 2018 –ADOPTEDAT UNGA

19 DEC 2018 –ENDORSED BY THE GA

1. Nearly no public engagement until September 2018 when the campaign started.

2. Social media became the main hub against the GCM. IOM's strategy was to ignore/not engage.

THE ANTI-GCM DIGITAL CAMPAIGN

3. Influential individuals. Right-wing activists such as Martin Sellner joined the campaign.

MediaGuidance

Media Guidance

Twitter activity by total mention volume

CAMPAIGN GOALS

1. White Genocide Only Western countries are taking in refugees and migrants from Africa and the MENA region (unlike Japan and Australia).

2. Population Replacement Based on a UN DESA Document signed in 2001.

3. Globalism The UN is trying to undermine national sovereignty and local identities.

• White males• 45-55 years old• Europeans/North Americans/Australians• College Degree• 20/25% Bot/Trolls

CONCLUSIONS

• We need a tool to prevent or acknowledge online crises in real time.

• Silence removes us entirely from the conversation and confirms subconscious biased conclusions.

• Top-down narratives have become less effective.

HOW CAN WE CREATE A SAFE SPACE TO LISTEN AND MANAGE DISAGREEMENT

ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

“If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far.”

Barack Obama

IOM MODEL

• The Fundamentals

• The Rules

• The Models

• Bots, Trolls, Fake Accounts

• Worst-Case Scenarios

THE FUNDAMENTALS

CONFLICT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

FEASIBILITY OF

DIALOGUE

EFFICACY OF

CONVERSATIONCONSEQUENCES

What is the root-cause of the conflict?

THE RULES

STAY

FOCUSED

BE EMPATHETIC,

NOT

EMOTIONAL

BE A

LISTENER

KEEP IT

SHORT

REMEMBER

YOUR

AUDIENCE

DON’T

GET

PERSONAL

AVOID!

BEING ACCUSATORY

SAYING THE PERSON IS WRONG

IGNORING COMMENTS

THE MODEL

MODEL 1. POSITIVE - POSITIVE

A person is engaging and supportive.

Validation & Affirmation

MODEL 2. POSITIVE - NEUTRAL

The content is supportive, but not engaging

Validation & Affirmation

MODEL 3. POSITIVE - NEUTRAL

A person agrees with IOM message but requires clarification.

Clarification & Respect

MODEL 4. NEGATIVE - POSITIVE

A person generally supports the message but has a minute disagreement.

Getting on the same page

MODEL 5. NEGATIVE - NEGATIVE

The overtly prejudiced or hateful messages.

Impersonal & Factual

Case 1: Newsfeed Case 2: Direct Message

His first comment: F*** O**, you Globalist A****** C****

CASE STUDY

• Guidelines for bots/trolls.

• Private online conversations (DM).

• Via Agora Pulse and Brand Watch: 547 users, close to 1000 hours.

• Results: nearly 80% positive engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

• Social media is segregated. Avoid demagogy.

• Always engage with your followers.

• The price you pay for your silence may be higher than you think.

• We cannot change minds by damning our opponent.

• Personal engagement increases trust.