Social media platforms have become the public place for public discourse and exchange of opinions, comments and information. What does this mean for #pharma.

What do we mean by social media democracy

focuses on the empowerment of individual citizens and promotion democratic ideals through the spread of information

It means connecting people

• social networks have broken down the barriers
• social media is a virtual public platform where people can be heard and share information
• it allows for an open and collaborative networking

It means citizen journalism versus traditional journalism

• citizens are news producers
• citizen journalism is not filtered when compared to traditional news media which is edited
• citizen journalism can have an active role in movements
• citizen journalism and mainstream media can build relationships and work together

It means online movements

• #ThisIsMyLane 2018
• the NRA (National Rifle Association) told doctors to *stay in their lane* doctors created a viral movement in response

Hey @NRA ! Wanna see my lane? Here’s the chair I sit in when I tell parents their kids are dead. How dare you tell me I can’t research evidence based solutions. #ThisISMyLane #ThisIsOurLane #thequietroom pic.twitter.com/y7tBAuje8O

— Stephanie Bonne (@scrubbedin) November 9, 2018

It means social causes

• Parkland survivor David Hogg tells followers to boycott Fox host Laura Ingraham #pharma companies on the list included JNJ and Bayer
• Sanofi responds to Roseanne Barr after Barr partly blamed Sanofi for her controversial tweets

People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world. While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.

— Sanofi US (@SanofiUS) May 30, 2018