In a modern paradox, people will spend hours connecting with almost complete strangers all over the world using the internet, whilst scarcely a winter goes by without press reports of an elderly resident suffering serious injury or death completely unknown to their immediate neighbours.
Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), through guidance and otherwise, are being encouraged to realise innovative community strategies, for example, through internet, texts and web groups.
A web group example is www.neighbo.com. This is a network to empower the community, allowing tenants and housing managers to communicate. An RSL example of mainstream social networking is Wherry Housing Association’s very active Facebook page, where the “discussions” section invites questions about services (ranging from wallpaper, through repairs, to antisocial neighbours).
Wherry’s page is moderated, with offensive posts removed, although remaining, presumably, on the Facebook wall of whoever made them. As a result, others might be able to identify someone complained about. A small online community serving a small geographical area increases possible unwanted identifications.
This highlights a drawback: once comment is made it is difficult to remove completely from the internet. “Post in haste – repent at leisure” can be painfully appropriate with adverse comments often replicated on more than one website.
bto has considerable experience of dealing with contentious reputational internet matters. bto recently obtained what we believe is the first Prevention from Harassment Order in Scotland based solely on behaviour in cyberspace, rather than the more usual neighbour and family disturbances. For advice on social networking please contact:
Paul Motion