At its best, social media can connect friends and family, keep people informed of breaking news and allow people to share their knowledge or experiences in bite-sized pieces. At the worst, it can enable someone to broadcast completely untrue statements or woefully incorrect information to a large group of people, and have it accepted as fact.
The meat industry has benefited from both the good and the bad side of social media. Small meat processors, through Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, have connected with their customers in new and more personal ways, creating loyal shoppers. Dr. Temple Grandin has been justifiably recognized as a meat industry superstar, and her YouTube videos have helped to educate consumers on what the meat industry is actually like. Farmers have tuned to blogs and videos to help re-acquaint Americans with rural life and the benefits of agriculture.