Before social media, there was the grapevine, bush telegraph or rumour mill.

I found this out growing up in two small country towns. Basically, my parents knew everything about everyone.

There were no secrets there, and now there seem to be none on the internet!

Of course, this is the negative back-biting side of social media, the rumours, whispering campaigns, anonymous abuse.

However, there is a positive side. It’s best illustrated through a movie set in a country town – It’s a wonderful life. The hero of the story loses everything and contemplates suicide. Once his fellow townspeople find out, the grapevine/bush telegraph swings into action and he is bailed out of misfortune!

That is the power of social media.