Blog Post #11

Gatekeeping

After watching the presentations for EOTO (Each One Teach One), the one that caught my attention was gatekeeping from my group on communication terms and concepts. In simpler terms, gatekeeping is not telling someone information. But this can also include invalidating experiences, limiting access, and privatizing information. An example of this can be as simple as not telling someone where you got a t-shirt. It can even go to resources, opportunities, and power. The opposite of this is gate breaking; this is previously private information, and now it becomes public access. But just like gatekeeping, it can have negative uses. A more real-life example includes doctor-patient confidentiality. 

Issues from this include making people feel as if they do not belong or are not worthy of something. It can even insult their intelligence and create a dynamic of “Us vs. Them.” Overall, just being out of the loop, in general, can affect content and voice diversity in a negative impact. This can create delays in wait times and affect service quality. Especially when work is being passed down from one person to another, it will affect the person waiting and put the gatekeeper in a case of power/authority. 

Although it comes with more issues, some positive aspects include quality control, consistency, and streamlining. Having the gatekeeper doing the work removes the need to train employees
, directly leading to decreased error rates. Overall, having someone with experience do the work is better, leading to quality control. Consistency comes from following guidelines and procedures. For example, screening future employees with the gatekeeper and ensuring the same is used for all. Streamlining creates the gatekeeper to be the one someone goes to when they have a specific issue, which is efficient to have a single person of contact to address problems. 

Despite the pros and cons of gatekeeping, it has primarily become an issue in my generation. Looking at it from another perspective, like social media and influencers, not from a business perspective. This keeps things “exclusive” and unique because the only person who knows is the one withholding the information, and their audience/following are the ones who want the information. They could be doing the aspect of not wanting their favorite products to sell out due to their audience's interest. 

I do not see the positive side of gatekeeping, whether on a business side or an Instagram influencer. Withholding information as long as it’s not confidential has no purpose other than depriving others.