In International Business, The five main myths in social media abroad are:

Customers turn to peers for help. Overseas, especially in service-oriented countries in Asia, customers expect that help from the firm itself, not a user group.

Corporate transparency is key. Why would anyone think that holds true abroad? Most countries don’t have the rights to free speech and the ability (or the desire) to hold their companies and figureheads accountable. And when accountability is essential, it’s often dealt with privately.

Social media is an international language. For example, if you want Ukrainians to use a social-media platform, it had better look and feel Ukrainian. And it’s important to understand how Ukrainians interact with social media, as they may approach it differently than Americans.

People want to reveal lots of personal information. Many cultures have stigmas about putting things in writing at all. Fake names, fake email addresses or an anonymous system will do better than one that demands cellphone numbers and birth dates.

A Spanish social-media site will handle the Latino population. Spaniards from Spain are different than Puerto Ricans from Puerto Rico (even Puerto Ricans from the Bronx), who differ from Mexicans, Argentinians, etc. To take on these populations, a firm needs social-media sites that are geared specifically towards them.

Famed magician Harry Houdini once said, “You’ve got to get your name in the paper every day, whether it’s good or bad. Just make sure they spell your name right.” In other words, bad press is better than no press.

But most foreigners would disagree with this. Remember that when launching your social-media initiative outside the United States.