The Four-Way Test for Social Media

Remember the days when social media was mostly populated with fun pictures of family and friends, inspirational quotes, and favorite recipes? Not so much anymore. I can barely scroll through my feed without seeing divisive memes, posts attacking people who don’t believe or think the same, or some curated link to an article that sends me comfortably into my own echo chamber.

I blame myself for this. As addictive as social media can be, I still have a choice on what I read, what I click on, what share, and what I post. Because our digital footprints will follow us indefinitely, there’s no place to hide. It’s all public, and it’s all a reflection of who we are as human beings.

So the question becomes, “How do we want to show up?”

I recently attended a roast of Rod Kreie, a friend of mine and outgoing Mayor of my hometown of Newton, Kansas. A group of Rod’s closest friends, relatives, and political peers shared funny memories and poked fun at him for our entertainment. Rod is a lifelong Rotarian and the roast was intended to raise awareness and funds for the work of Rotary.

I was reminded of the Rotary Four-Way Test. Before you act, ask yourself these four questions:

1. It is the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

That’s Compassionate Accountability® in action. These principles have helped my friend Rod make a positive difference in our community and beyond, and are great principles to live by in any area of our relationships.

What if we applied the same four-way test to how we show up online? Next time you read, share, click, or post, ask yourself these four questions? Imagine the difference we could make together.

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