CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication
Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media
This chapter teaches how to use social media for clear, safe and professional communication. Do's cover accuracy, courtesy, clear purpose and privacy. Don'ts cover offensive posts, rumours, confidential data and hasty replies. To solve MCQs, spot the option that protects reputation, confidentiality and respect, and reject impulsive or careless behaviour.
What this chapter covers
This chapter is part of the Business Communication half of Paper 1 (FBLC). It looks at social media as a channel of communication. You learn what makes it different from letters or email, and how to use it well for personal and business purposes.
The chapter has four parts. First, social media as a tool: its features such as speed, wide reach, two-way interaction and informality. Second, the do's: good habits like thinking before posting, being accurate, being polite and protecting privacy. Third, the don'ts: harmful habits like spreading rumours, sharing confidential information and using offensive language. Fourth, how organisations set policies so employees use social media responsibly.
The chapter links to other communication topics in the paper, such as the communication process, barriers, etiquette and netiquette, and written communication. The same ideas of clarity, courtesy and correctness appear throughout. If you know the basics of effective communication, this chapter feels like an application of them.
Questions from this chapter are usually direct and based on common sense plus the right terms, so they are among the easier marks in Paper 1. Since every question is a 2-mark MCQ with no negative marking, a few hours of focused study can help you answer these quickly and save time for harder Business Laws questions. The chapter also builds habits you will need as a professional, where one careless post can damage a career or a company's name.
Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media: topics in the order to study them
- 1Social Media as a Communication ToolStart here to understand what social media is and what its features are, since the do's and don'ts follow from those features.
- 2Do's of Communication through Social MediaNext, learn the good practices, because they are the positive rules that MCQs often test directly.
- 3Don'ts of Communication through Social MediaStudy this after the do's so you can see each don't as the opposite of a do, which makes recall easier.
- 4Social Media Policy and Responsible Use in OrganisationsFinish with the organisational view, which brings the rules together as policy and responsible use.
How to prepare Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media
This chapter is light on numbers and heavy on concepts, so understanding beats memorising. Plan a short, repeated study rather than one long session.
- Read the chapter once for meaning. Note the main features of social media, such as speed, reach, interaction and informality.
- Make a two-column list of do's and don'ts. Pair each do with its opposite don't, for example verify facts and do not spread rumours.
- Link each rule to a reason: reputation, privacy, legal risk, professionalism or respect. Exam options often differ only in the reason.
- Learn the key terms in the study material and understand their meaning in your own words, so you can recognise them in changed wording.
- Practise MCQs. For each one, eliminate options that show impulsive, rude, careless or confidential-data behaviour first.
- Write a short real-life example for each rule, such as a company employee posting about office matters, to make scenario questions easy.
- Revise the list of do's and don'ts the day before the exam, then re-read your mistakes from practice.
Common mistakes in Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media
Treating social media as always informal, so any casual behaviour looks acceptable.
Fix: For business or professional scenarios, choose the option that is polite, accurate and professional.
Mixing up a do with its opposite don't in scenario MCQs.
Fix: Read the full option and ask whether it protects reputation, privacy and respect. If not, reject it.
Memorising lists without knowing the reason behind each rule.
Fix: Attach one reason to every rule, such as confidentiality, credibility or legal risk.
Ignoring the organisational policy topic.
Fix: Learn why organisations set policies and what responsible use means for employees.
Choosing the option that is fastest or most popular rather than the most responsible.
Fix: Remember that speed is useful only when accuracy and courtesy are kept.
Last-day revision: Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media
- Social media allows fast, wide-reaching, two-way communication.
- It is often informal, but business use still needs professionalism.
- Think before you post, because posts can spread fast and be hard to remove.
- Check facts before sharing any information.
- Use polite and respectful language, even when you disagree.
- Protect your privacy and use the settings available on each platform.
- Do not share confidential business or client information.
- Do not spread rumours, fake news or offensive content.
- Do not reply in anger or in haste.
- Keep personal views separate from your employer's official voice.
- Organisations frame social media policies to guide employees.
- Responsible use protects both individual and organisational reputation.
Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media practice questions
- Ravi, an executive at Shree Textiles, notices a customer's angry complaint about a delayed order on the company's public page. According to …
- Which of the following is a key advantage of social media over traditional communication media such as newspaper advertisements for a small …
- A manager at a Chennai firm shares a viral post claiming a rival company's product is unsafe, without verifying the claim. The claim turns o…
- A company's social media policy authorises only its corporate communications team to respond to public posts about a product-safety complain…
- Which of the following is a recommended 'do' when a business responds to a negative customer comment on its public social media page?
- Which practice by an employee reflects responsible use of social media for professional purposes?
- Ravi, an accounts officer at a listed company, posts a photo of his desk on social media. In the background, a monitor clearly shows unpubli…
- Sharma Foods posts a promotional message on Twitter (X) at 9 a.m. By noon, customers have criticised the product in replies and the criticis…
Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media in other exams
The same ground in other exams, if you are preparing for more than one or want another angle on it.
Do's and Don'ts of Communication through Social Media: frequently asked questions
Is this chapter important for CMA Foundation Paper 1?
Yes. It is part of the Business Communication section of Paper 1 and the questions are usually direct. With no negative marking, you should attempt every one.
How long does it take to prepare this chapter?
Most students can cover it in a few short sessions because it is concept-based and has no calculations. Add time for practice MCQs and one quick revision.
What type of questions come from this chapter?
Expect objective questions on features of social media, correct and incorrect behaviour in given situations, and responsible use. All are MCQs with four options.
How do I avoid confusion between do's and don'ts in MCQs?
Pair each do with its opposite don't while studying. In the exam, eliminate options that show rude, hasty, false or confidential-data sharing behaviour.