Reportagem interessante.Status anxiety: should academics be using social media?18 June 2014, 6.44am AESTSocial media for self-promotion contributes to the pressures of fast academia. TomAt first glance, academia and social media might not appear to have an obvious connection. Social media use tends to be viewed as frivolous or as an activity undertaken for purely personal reasons, such as keeping in touch with friends or family. These views are often expressed in academic circles.Yet some universities are now encouraging academics to use social media to engage with the public and to disseminate their research more widely. Academics themselves are beginning to realise the potential of social media use.As an academic who has experimented with using social media over the past two years, I am interested in researching their implications for higher education.I conducted a survey in January 2014 to investigate how academics internationally are using social media for professional purposes. The focus of the survey was on academics who were already using social media. The respondents were asked to nominate which social media they used as part of their work and which they found most useful. They were also invited to write comments about their experiences, including the benefits they perceived and any worries or concerns they had.Scholarly strategyThe results offer insights into the sophisticated and strategic ways in which some educators and researchers are using social media and the many benefits they have experienced for their work.These included:connecting and establishing networks not only with other academics but also individuals and groups outside universitiespromoting openness and sharing of informationpublicising and developing their researchgiving and receiving support.Twitter was especially valued as a medium for scholarly communication, as it was viewed as fast and responsive.Antoine RobiezClick to enlargeIt was common for the respondents to comment that their social media networks had expanded in unpredictable directions and serendipitous ways. For example, a British female respondent noted this of her use of social media:I discover interesting articles or events that I wouldnt necessarily have otherwise. Its an easy way to see whats happening around the world. Also, its good for making informal links with other researchers by following them and commenting on their tweets. I have discovered researchers through Twitter who share similar interests that I wouldnt necessarily have otherwise.Some respondents observed that not only were their social media networks broad, they were also horizontal and democratic. Junior staff and postgraduate students were able to easily interact with senior academics.Personal v professionalWhile the majority of the respondents were very positive about using social media, they also expressed a range of concerns. Issues of privacy and the blurring of boundaries between personal and professional use were often mentioned.In negotiating this issue, many people said they used some social media for professional purposes only. They maintained others for private or personal use. As one Australian academic put it:I use Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest and a personal blog for personal rather than academic purposes. [I] dont want to let my professional identity enter those spaces because I like having work/life separation to at least some extent.Some respondents worried about jeopardising their