Meeting Clients Where They Scroll: Social Media Literacy and the Black Perspective in Social Work Education

This study examines how Black male clinical social workers navigate social media in their professional lives, drawing on focus group data from 21 licensed practitioners across the United States. Using the Black Perspective and mass communication theory as guiding frameworks, the research explores how digital platforms function as spaces of professional connection, advocacy, and community building while also exposing clinicians to racialized scrutiny, emotional burden, and heightened surveillance. Findings reveal that participants strategically use social media to counter professional isolation and access culturally aligned resources, yet they simultaneously manage fears of reputational harm, workplace consequences, and the amplification of racial stereotypes. The study argues that social work education must integrate culturally responsive digital literacy into curricula, preparing practitioners to critically engage online spaces where clients increasingly seek mental health information and support. Specific recommendations address course content, field education, accreditation standards, and continuing education, positioning practitioners as experts whose digital navigation strategies should inform curriculum development.