Social Media in Relation to Cooperate Social Responsibility in Fast Food Industry

Abstract

This paper focuses on analyzing the role of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+,Youtube) with regards to corporate social responsibility (CSR), specifically in the fast food industry. The objectives are to identify the use of social media platforms by fast food restaurants, identify if social media integrate corporate social responsibility in their business thereby limiting marketing of unhealthy meals on their websites, and lastly, to find out if marketing of fast food products on social platforms affect users, especially the young people between the age of 15 to 25. The study analyzed and monitored 70 fast food restaurants and their social media activities. 63 0ut of 70 were found to have at least three social media platforms where they promote their products to end users and none of the restaurants have any restriction in marketing any kind of product using social media. Results from questionnaire survey also found that many social media users get adverts from fast food restaurants with 13.85% being affected to buy the food most times and 47.69% sometimes. 81.54% of the participants also agreed that social media can do a great job in limiting the free marketing of unhealthy products by fast food restaurants.

Keywords: Social Media, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Stakeholders, fast food