The constantly changing and relatively insider world of social media use is a major hurdle for zoos, aquariums, and marine parks in the 21st century, and has played a major role in increased public criticism and pressure on the industry as a whole. Social activism groups, on the other hand, make social media a major priority, making the job of zoos and aquariums to address online criticism even more difficult. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a major animal rights activism group with a strong anti-zoological focus, states in their annual report that their Facebook posts are reaching 625 million users per month.
Tursiops and Twitter: How Effective Social Media Use Can Change the Public Conversation on Marine Zoological Facilities