Which of the following is an unethical use of social media automation and AI tools?
- Scheduling posts
- Monitoring brand mentions
- Analyzing sentiment of social media posts Buying followers
- Buying followers
Explanation: Buying followers is an unethical use of social media automation and AI tools. This option is correct because purchasing followers artificially inflates a brand’s follower count, deceiving both the audience and potential stakeholders about the brand’s actual influence and reach. While automation and AI tools can streamline various legitimate tasks such as scheduling posts, monitoring brand mentions, and analyzing sentiment, buying followers violates the principles of authenticity, transparency, and integrity in social media marketing. Inflated follower counts do not reflect genuine engagement or interest in the brand, and they can undermine the credibility and trustworthiness of the brand in the eyes of consumers and industry peers. Moreover, social media platforms often penalize accounts that engage in such practices by reducing visibility or even suspending them, resulting in long-term damage to the brand’s reputation and digital presence. Therefore, while automation and AI tools can offer valuable efficiencies and insights in social media management, buying followers represents an unethical and ultimately counterproductive tactic that undermines the integrity and effectiveness of a brand’s social media strategy.