Introduction

Digital and social media technologies have created new opportunities and ways of communicating, seeing, thinking, living and being. They have transformed our way of thinking about and relating to technology, as well as about ourselves and how we relate to others. Although these changes offer unprecedented opportunities, they are also disruptive: they break with the past and transform existing norms, values and behaviours and therefore entail new and significant risks and pose ethical challenges. These challenges are augmented by the rapid pace of technology, which does not allow the possibility for critical examination and evaluation of its effects and implications.

Therefore, this chapter examines the concept of digital professionalism and some of the ethical challenges associated with online identities and engagement. It begins with a case example from the HCPC fitness to practise hearings and highlights some of its learning to underline the need for digital professionalism. It then defines the concept of digital professionalism and explores some of the differences between online and offline environments and their implications for digital professionalism. This includes a discussion about the domains of information sharing and the Social Media Activity and Reflection Tool (SMART) mapping (Megele and Buzzi, 2018) for visualising and reflecting upon one's digital presence and social media engagement and as a component of one's digital citizenship and digital professionalism. This is followed by an overview of the knowledge, skills and capabilities required for digital professionalism and a template for creating, maintaining and evaluating an online identity and presence. The chapter concludes with some suggestions and a summary of learning.

E-professionalim and ethics

This first case example underlines the need for digital professionalism when using social media. It highlights an HCPC fitness to practise hearing and judgement on a social worker's use of Facebook in relation to a case.

Example: Personal and professional use of Facebook

On the eve of a court hearing for a case that was transferred to her about three weeks earlier, an experienced children and families social worker posted the following message on her Facebook page: