The Effect of Virtual Social Network Filtering on Public Relations Information (case study: Public Relations of the Executive Bodies of Fars and Bushehr provinces)

Virtual social networks are considered as one of the most important and influential means of mass communication in today's world, which today operate as comprehensive and accessible media, and a large part of the media's information and public relations activities are carried out in this way. In a situation where many of these virtual networks have been filtered in Iran for a few years now and access to them is still limited and only possible with a filter breaker, the public relations of various institutions and organizations inevitably use new methods to inform. This research seeks to answer the question of what effect filtering has had on public relations activities and what strategies public relations have had to overcome this challenge in informing their target audience and society. The purpose of the research is to achieve practical solutions in attracting the audience through public relations. In this research, which was conducted using a survey method and using a questionnaire, the researchers have investigated the public relations information performance of the executive bodies in Bushehr and Fars provinces. From the results of this research, it is possible to mention the simultaneous use of Iranian social networks and filtered social networks by public relations for information, more creativity in content production, diversification and more dynamic content produced, and reduction of public relations audiences. Public relations use alternative methods to inform themselves and filtering does not stop them.