Usage trends, perceptions and ethical views regarding social media: A survey of Canadian plastic surgeons

Parallel to the rise in usage of Social Media (SoMe) worldwide, plastic surgeons are becoming increasingly present online. Although more are being published, there is a paucity of studies regarding academic and international plastic surgeons. The authors sought to determine current usage trends among Canadian plastic surgeons. A 16-item survey concerning usage, post content, perceptions and ethics towards SoMe was sent to academic and esthetic plastic surgeons across Canada. The survey yielded a 14.2% response rate, from which 37% had a single SoMe account for both personal and professional use, with Instagram (36%) being the most preferred platform and only 10% of post content being academically inclined. Surgeons without a professional account seemed to be more likely to believe it is unethical to discuss procedures with patients over SoMe (75% vs. 29%) and were more likely to believe it is unethical to post procedural/intra-operative videos on SoMe (75% vs. 21%). This survey highlights the diverging views regarding the ethics surrounding SoMe usage, which can be influenced by the type of accounts managed by surgeons. The authors hope this can help elucidate more ethical, safe and effective practices of SoMe.